Simon Ekpa, a former Radio Biafra anchorman, was arrested in Finland, just two days before the general elections in Nigeria. The arrest was made after Nigeria requested Finland to intervene in Ekpa’s activities. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Finland carried out the police operation in a private apartment in the centre of Lahti, and Ekpa was taken into custody.
Ekpa is known for his subversive comments against Nigeria and its leadership, as he has been campaigning for the Republic of Biafra to be achieved. In recent years, he has been a political activist, and his campaigns gained momentum following the re-arrest and repatriation of Nnamdi Kanu, the founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in June 2021. Security and intelligence services have linked his speeches to the recent kidnappings and murders in the South-East of Nigeria.
The arrest of Ekpa followed a meeting between the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyeama, and the Finnish ambassador, Leena Pylvänäinen, last week, where they discussed Ekpa’s activities. Nigeria had requested Finland’s intervention to stop Ekpa’s activities, which they believe are subversive and could destabilize the country.
Ekpa, who is also a legal practitioner and a former athlete, has been a prominent voice for the Biafran independence movement. His arrest has attracted reactions from his supporters and sympathizers, who see it as an infringement on his right to freedom of speech. The Nigerian government has not made any official statement on the arrest, but it is believed that they would welcome it as a victory in their fight against the Biafran separatist movement.
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