The arrest of Simon Ekpa, the self-declared prime minister of Biafra, has sparked ongoing reactions, with some South-East indigenous people demanding that he should be sentenced in Finland.
Ekpa and four other people were seized by the Finnish authorities on Thursday of last week, and the Päijät-Häme district court later held them for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media.”
Ekpa, a dual citizen of Finland and Nigeria, is accused of encouraging others to commit crimes with terrorist intent, according to the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, or NBI. Suspicions of terrorism financing are also included in the allegations.
Ekpa is accused of using his social media channels to instigate violence against people and public officials in Southeastern Nigeria, according to Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen, the detective in charge of the inquiry.
In a statement, Hiltunen said:
“The suspect has furthered his efforts from Finland, resulting in violence and other crimes in Southeast Nigeria.”
Commenting on the arrest, Abia South Senator, Eyinnaya Abaribe said Kanu’s release remained the solution to tackling insecurity in the Southeast and not Ekpa’s arrest.
Abaribe said Kanu’s release would reveal the genuine Biafra agitators from the criminals masquerading as gunmen.
He said:
“You want Biafra fine, but do you get Biafra by killing the same Biafrans you want? How does murdering people, killing people, going around killing policemen, spreading mayhem, and burning police stations help you?
“Everyone of them claims that it’s because Nnamdi Kanu is incarcerated that’s why the Southeast is experiencing insecurity but it will end when Nnamdi Kanu comes out, then we now know who is a genuine agitator and a criminal.
“When Kanu comes out, then he will know his followers. Nobody will have a reason to say we are burning down this police station or killing this person.”
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cc: Daily Post Ng
