Finnish Court Fixes Date for Simon Ekpa’s Terrorism Trial

The Finnish authorities have set the date for the trial of the factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa.

The country’s leadership said Ekpa is set to face trial in May 2025, following his arrest alongside four others on November 21 over alleged acts of terrorism.

Ekpa has been accused of instigating violence using his social media channels and has contributed to violent crimes against civilians in the South Eastern part of Nigeria with probable intent of terrorism, .

Speaking on the trial date, Mikko Laaksonen, a Senior Detective Superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation said the the district court had set May 2025 as the deadline for prosecutors to present all the possible charges against the detained Baifra agitator.

According to Laaksonen, the investigation on Ekpa is currently ongoing and no further details could be disclosed to the public.

“Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details can be disclosed. The date for bringing up possible charges by the prosecution was set by the district court to May 2025,” Laaksonen said.

He also noted that the authorities my request for a re-evaluation of the deadline given on the matter after two weeks.

“In a basic situation regarding the remand, the next possible hearing can be held no earlier than two weeks from the previous hearing, should the parties in question seek for the matter to be re-evaluated by the district court,” Laaksonen added.