The Court Sets May 2025 as the Deadline for Finland's Prosecution of Simon Ekpa for Terrorism.

A Finnish court has established May 2025 as the deadline for prosecutors to file charges against Simon Ekpa, who has declared himself the Prime Minister of Biafra and is facing accusations related to terrorism. Mikko Laaksonen, Senior Detective Superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, announced this timeline on Tuesday, indicating that Ekpa’s case is advancing in the Päijät-Häme District Court. Ekpa, who claims the title of “Prime Minister” of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, was apprehended last week along with four other individuals on suspicions of terrorism-related crimes, which include inciting violence and financing terrorism. Finnish authorities have alleged that Ekpa used social media platforms to incite violence against civilians and government officials in Nigeria’s South-East region. As reported by the local media outlet Yle, Ekpa has been detained on charges of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent. In a related announcement, Finland’s Central Criminal Police revealed that the other individuals in custody are accused of providing financial support for terrorist activities, thereby increasing the scrutiny surrounding Ekpa’s alleged actions. Detective Laaksonen confirmed that the investigation is ongoing but refrained from providing additional details. When inquired about the timeline for Simon Ekpa’s court proceedings, he remarked, “Due to the ongoing investigation, no further information can be disclosed. The district court has set May 2025 for the prosecution to potentially present charges.” Laaksonen also noted that both Ekpa and the Finnish authorities have the option to request a re-evaluation of the case after a two-week period. “In standard remand situations, a re-evaluation hearing can take place no sooner than two weeks from the last hearing, provided that the involved parties make such a request,” he clarified. Officials have chosen not to provide further details regarding the extent of this collaboration. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) remarked, “International cooperation is integral to the investigation given the case's nature, but additional comments cannot be offered at this time.” Ekpa, a Finnish national of Nigerian heritage, gained notoriety for promoting a boycott of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, which led to violent enforcement measures and assaults on local residents. He was apprehended in February 2023 for inciting violence and issuing sit-at-home directives in Nigeria’s South-East, prompting international petitions that called for intervention from Finnish and Nigerian authorities, as well as the European Union. In light of Ekpa’s actions, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Finnish Ambassador Leena Pylvanainen to seek Finland’s cooperation. Recently, the District Court of Päijät-Häme in Finland ordered Ekpa’s detention on suspicions of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent. He faces charges of incitement, while his associates are implicated in financing terrorism.