A six year jail term in Finland awaits self- styled prime minister of Biafra, Simon Ekpa, if the court now trying him for alleged terrorism in that country accedes to the request of his prosecutors.
Ekpa, who was arrested last November by the Finnish authorities, appeared before the Päijät-Häme District Court yesterday to face terrorism-related charges in a preparatory hearing.
His court appearance coincided with the fresh sit at home in the South East called by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra ( MASSOB), to mark ‘Biafra Day’.
Social and economic activities were grounded in many parts of Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo states more for fear of attack by miscreants who might want to enforce the protest than in obedience to the organisers.
But residents of Ebonyi defied the call to sit at home. It was business as usual across the state as people went about their activities.
Finnish prosecutors accuse Ekpa of participating in a terrorist organisation and publicly inciting crimes for terrorist purposes.
They also allege that he has been actively involved in a separatist movement seeking independence for Biafra.
According to them, the accused person’s activity, conducted online and coordinated from Finland, may constitute terrorism under Finnish law.
They claim to have a lot of evidence against him and are demanding a six-year prison sentence for him.
Said state prosecutor Sampsa Hakala: “We have a great deal of evidence regarding this individual’s online activity and communications.”
The prosecution, however, said obtaining detailed information about the alleged terrorism-related acts was difficult, as they took place in Africa.
Ekpa’s lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, raised concerns about the reliability of information coming from Nigeria.
Finnish police have investigated the case together with Nigerian authorities.
During police interrogation, Ekpa denied the charges, including suspicions of ordering weapons for pro-Biafra groups.
The district court is also examining allegations of aggravated tax fraud.
Ekpa moved to Finland in 2007 as an athlete. He has been a member of the National Coalition Party (NCP) and served on Lahti’s public transport board.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
