I am not a terrorist, Simon Ekpa tells Finnish court as trial begins
The Finnish-Nigerian citizen Simon Ekpa charged by the Finnish government with public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent and participation in a terrorist group has denied the allegation.
Penpushing reports that Ekpa at the pre-trial hearing on Friday, through his lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, raised concerns about the reliability of information coming from Nigeria, and during police interviews, he denied the terrorism charges against him, which also included suspicions of ordering weapons for pro-Biafra groups.
The accused appeared before the Päijät-Häme District Court on Friday to face the terrorism-related charges in a preparatory hearing, while the district court is also examining allegations of aggravated tax fraud against the Biafra agitator.
Penpushing further reports that prosecutors alleged that Ekpa has been actively involved in a separatist movement seeking independence of Biafra in South-Eastern Nigeria, and argued that the Biafra agitator’s separatist activities, conducted online and coordinated from Finland, may constitute terrorism under Finnish law.
The state prosecutors Sampsa Hakala, demanding a six-year prison sentence for Ekpa told the court that the authorities have a great deal of evidence regarding Ekpa’s individual’s online activity and communications.
Penpushing also reports that the prosecution, however, acknowledged that obtaining detailed information about the alleged terrorism-related acts will be difficult, considering that the activities are believed to have taken place in Africa
The Biafra agitator is suspected of spreading separatist propaganda from his home in Lahti, a town in Finland, while the Finnish police have been investigating the case alongside the Nigerian government.
Penpushing reports that it is recalled that 40-year-old Ekpa was arrested alongside four others on November 21,2024 on suspicion of terrorist activities, while the Finnish police said he has contributed to violence and crimes against civilians in South-Eastern Nigeria.
The District Court of Päijät-Häme later ordered that the heads Autopilot, a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) be imprisoned with probable cause on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
Penpushing further reports that Ekpa was initially indicted for financing terrorism alongside the four other suspects, while the police have suspicion that he committed the crime of collecting money in violation of the Finnish Money Collection Act.
The Finnish police said he allegedly committed the crimes between 23 August 2021 and 18 November 2024 in Lahti, however, the four other suspects arrested alongside with him were later released during preliminary investigation for lack of evidence against them.
Penpushing also reports that following his arrest the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) faction loyal to Nnamdi Kanu disowned him, explaining that he (Ekpa) was never their member.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra, which it wants carved out from the South-East and some parts of the South-South Nigeria.
Meanwhile, records have it that the separatist group has been linked to some deadly attacks in the two regions, although it has repeatedly denied its involvement in the attacks.
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