Simon Ekpa, the controversial Biafra separatist, has named a new legal representative as he prepares to face trial in Finland in June 2025.
Ekpa, a self-styled leader of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was arrested by Finnish authorities in November 2024.
Following his arrest, the district court of Päijät-Häme ordered his detention for allegedly “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media.”
The alleged offence is believed to have occurred in 2021 within Lahti municipality.
Finnish investigators say Ekpa used his social media platforms to incite violence and terror in Nigeria’s south-east region.
Despite repeated calls from Nigerian authorities for his extradition to face prosecution at home, the effort has so far not yielded the desired outcome.
Ekpa holds dual citizenship in Nigeria and Finland.
In 2023, Mikko Laaksonen, senior detective superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), confirmed that a Finnish court had scheduled May 2025 for the prosecution to file charges.
He also stated that Ekpa would remain in custody, as “the alleged offence is not bailable.”
Earlier this year, Nigeria’s sanctions committee listed Ekpa among individuals and groups designated as alleged terrorism financiers.
The committee also froze the bank accounts of those linked to the designation.
New Legal Representation
According to a report by BBC Pidgin, Ekpa recently switched lawyers after his former counsel “retired from service.”
Kaarle Gummerus, his newly appointed lawyer, confirmed he has received the case file and is reviewing it.
“I’m currently checking through,” he said, adding that Ekpa is scheduled to appear in court in June 2025.
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