Biafra: Finnish court sets May 2025 deadline for Simon Ekpa’s trial

Simon Ekpa, a prominent pro-Biafran agitator, will face potential charges in May 2025 following his arrest in Finland over alleged terrorism-related activities, according to Finnish authorities.

Senior Detective Superintendent Mikko Laaksonen from Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation confirmed the timeline in an email to The PUNCH on Tuesday, noting that the district court had set the deadline for prosecutors to file charges.

Ekpa, along with four others, was detained last week on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses, including incitement to violence and financing terrorism. Finnish police have accused Ekpa of using social media to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East region, targeting both civilians and government officials.

According to local media outlet Yle, the Päijät-Häme District Court remanded Ekpa on charges of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent. Finnish authorities also confirmed the arrests of the other suspects for allegedly financing terrorist activities.

Responding to inquiries from The PUNCH, Laaksonen said the investigation remains active and declined to provide further details. However, he clarified that the next potential hearing could occur in two weeks if either party requests a case review.

“This is a basic situation regarding the remand. The next possible hearing can be held no earlier than two weeks from the previous one,” Laaksonen explained.

The case has drawn significant international attention, with Finnish officials highlighting the importance of cross-border cooperation. However, details about the scope of this collaboration remain undisclosed.

“International cooperation is involved due to the nature of the case, but no further comments can be provided at this time,” the National Bureau of Investigation added.