The Nigerian government’s sustained diplomatic efforts have led to the arrest of Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafra agitator and Nigerian–
Finnish citizen, by Finnish authorities. Ekpa, along with four others, was apprehended on Thursday on suspicion of terrorist activities linked to violence and instability in South-eastern Nigeria.
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday.
According to him, the arrest followed extensive high-level engagements between Nigeria and Finland aimed at curbing Ekpa’s alleged destabilizing activities in the region.
“The arrest of Mr. Simon Njoku Ekpa follows sustained diplomatic pressure by the Nigerian government on Finland to take action against his activities, which were linked to violence and instability in the South-east of Nigeria,” Ebienfa stated.
He described the arrest as a “significant development” in neutralizing transnational actors undermining Nigeria’s national security.
The ministry pledged to closely monitor the legal proceedings and provide updates as the case progresse.
The Finnish police accused Ekpa of contributing to violence and crimes against civilians in Nigeria’s South-east.
He is the leader of Autopilot, a splinter faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which is pushing for an independent state of Biafra carved out of South-east Nigeria.
Mr. Ekpa, who often styled himself as a disciple of IPOB’s detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, formed Autopilot after his disengagement from IPOB leadership.
He has since declared himself the “Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile” (BGIE) and allegedly established the Biafra Liberation Army, a militant group linked to various attacks in the region.
Meanwhile, IPOB has distanced itself from Mr. Ekpa, denying any affiliation with him. Emma Powerful, the group’s spokesperson, stated on Friday that Mr. Ekpa was neither a member nor a leader of IPOB.
“Simon Ekpa was never and is not an IPOB member, let alone being a leader in IPOB.
IPOB has some family units in Finland, and Simon Ekpa is not a registered member of any IPOB unit in Finland or any other IPOB unit globally,” Mr. Powerful said in a statement.
The group, which has been at the forefront of Biafra agitation, criticized Mr. Ekpa’s inciting rhetoric and accused him of fueling violence in the South-east.
Simon Ekpa rose to prominence in 2021 when he was appointed the director of IPOB’s pirate radio channel, Radio Biafra, following Mr. Kanu’s re-arrest by Nigerian authorities.
However, he was later removed from the position after allegedly refusing to comply with the group’s rules of engagement.
Following his removal, Mr. Ekpa formed the Autopilot faction and claimed it was sanctioned by Mr. Kanu before his arrest.
He has since used his platform to spread propaganda and claims responsibility for violent acts in Nigeria’s South-east.
The Nigerian government’s call for Mr. Ekpa’s arrest was part of broader efforts to curb the activities of IPOB factions linked to escalating violence in the South-east.
Nigerian diplomats, including the foreign affairs minister and military officials, consistently urged Finnish authorities to act against Mr. Ekpa during bilateral meetings and other international fora.
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