Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa
Finland Sets July 15 Extradition Date for Biafran Activist Simon Ekpa to Nigeria
Finland has finalized July 15, 2025, as the extradition date for Simon Ekpa, the controversial Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader, following months of diplomatic negotiations between Helsinki and Abuja.
Ekpa, a self-proclaimed Biafran activist, was arrested in Lahti, Finland, in November 2024 over allegations of inciting violence in Nigeria’s southeast.
Authorities accuse him of using social media to instigate attacks on security forces, enforce disruptive sit-at-home orders, and fundraise for the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Finnish investigators found that Ekpa’s online campaigns fueled unrest, leading to economic paralysis and security crackdowns in Nigeria’s Igbo-dominated regions. Four associates were also detained for allegedly financing his operations.
Despite Finland’s usual restrictions on extraditing its citizens outside the EU, a court approved the handover on April 18 after Nigeria provided substantial evidence.
The decision was made under a bilateral legal agreement between the two nations.
Both Finnish and Nigerian officials have confirmed the extradition will proceed on July 15 in compliance with international law.
Ekpa’s transfer marks a major victory for Nigeria’s efforts to curb separatist violence linked to IPOB.
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