Pro-Biafran activist Simon Ekpa, who was recently arrested in Finland on charges related to terrorism, will spend Christmas in detention as Finnish law does not allow for bail in such cases.
Mikko Laaksonen, a Senior Detective Superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, confirmed this on Saturday via an email.
Ekpa’s arrest has sparked tensions, and his supporters have taken a dramatic step by declaring the establishment of the United States of Biafra during a conference held in Finland.
Ekpa was arrested alongside four other individuals last week, with the Finnish authorities accusing them of engaging in terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and financing terrorism.
The Finnish police described Ekpa as the self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile and stated that he used social media to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East region, targeting both civilians and authorities.
Local media in Finland reported that Ekpa was remanded in custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court, facing charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
The Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrest of Ekpa and others, with the investigation continuing into the alleged funding of terrorist activities.
In response to questions about bail, Laaksonen explained that Finnish criminal procedure does not recognize bail. Instead, suspects are either remanded in custody or placed under travel bans depending on the specifics of the case.
Meanwhile, Ekpa’s supporters gathered in Lahti, Finland, on Friday to declare the formation of the United States of Biafra.
The event, known as the ‘Biafra Mass Exodus 2024,’ saw a significant number of Nigerians arrive in Finland in support of Ekpa’s cause. In an online post, one of the attendees, @DOlewunne, described the moment as a “historic independent moment,” declaring, “We are a Nation !”
Dr. Ngozi Orabueze, a self-identified Chief of Staff of the United States of Biafra, organized the convention.
Orabueze, who has been active in the Biafran separatist movement, was appointed by Ekpa in March 2023 as the Minister of Health, Oil, and Gas in the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile.
During the event, Orabueze announced that Biafrans in Finland had declared their independence, introducing a new currency, Biafra coins, and establishing “Biafra time.”
Before the declaration, a video message from Ekpa was shown to attendees.
In the video, Ekpa criticized Nigeria’s colonial past and expressed frustration with the country’s treatment of the South-East region.
“We were free before Lord Lugard came. If you want the oil, take it and leave us alone,” he said, ending with a chant of “USB, USB, USB,” referring to the United States of Biafra.
Orabueze, after taking an oath of office, listed several Nigerian states as part of the newly re-declared United States of Biafra, including Anambra, Okigwe, Nnewi, Ogoni, and others.
The crowd cheered in support as they sang an Igbo song, expressing their commitment to the cause.
Despite the fervor of the event, both the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) distanced themselves from the declaration.
Emma Powerful, a spokesperson for IPOB, criticized Ekpa’s faction for their unlawful activities, denying any involvement in the declaration.
MASSOB’s spokesperson, Sunday Edeson, expressed conditional support for the Biafran independence movement but noted that declaring independence in Finland did not equate to freedom from Nigeria, as the region was still under Nigerian governance.
In response to calls for Ekpa’s extradition, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that there is no extradition agreement with Finland.
However, a spokesperson for the Finnish Embassy in Nigeria declined to comment on the matter.
Some Nigerians, including legal experts, have argued that although Finland and Nigeria lack a bilateral extradition agreement, Ekpa could be tried in either country based on international legal conventions.
Ekpa will remain in custody, awaiting a trial scheduled for May 2025.
