Simon Ekpa
By Akeem Atoyebi
Some Nigerians in Finland are in trepidation and fear following the arrest and detention of separatist leader, Simon Ekpa.
Ekpa is one of the leaders of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra.
According to sources, Nigerians in the European country are afraid of commenting on the arrest of the suspect over fear of being attacked.
A Nigerian community leader, who craved anonymity for fear of victimisation, noted that the Igbo community was “gravely affected” by the violent acts of the secessionist group.
He said, “Everyone is afraid to speak about Ekpa’s arrest. The key people in Finland and the Igbo community at large are not ready to lend their voices either.”
The source noted that some persons were being accused of reporting Ekpa to the police and were being threatened.
“A particular person they accused now, they’re after him. This happened before he (Ekpa) was even remanded—what will happen when they imprison him? Everyone is afraid. These people are very deadly,” the source said.
Another resident, who also asked not to be identified, said there was tension among Nigerians in the country.
“People don’t want to speak about Ekpa for fear of being hunted by his followers. We believe that they will hunt whoever comes out to talk about their leader. But the Finnish Government is trying to get rid of the situation.”
Ekpa was arrested alongside four others on Thursday by Finnish authorities on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and financing terrorism.
Ekpa, who describes himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, is accused of using social media to promote violent activities in southeastern Nigeria, including attacks on civilians and the authorities.
He was first arrested in February 2023 for inciting comments and sit-at-home orders to the people of the South-East.
The suspect gained international notoriety for his calls to boycott Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, which were enforced through violent means, contributing to attacks on residents.
Before his arrest, Ekpa had attracted global attention, with thousands of Nigerians worldwide petitioning the Finnish and Nigerian governments, as well as the European Union, to take action against his disruptive activities.
