Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian municipal politician has been arrested in Finland alongside four other people over alleged terror-related offenses.
Gatekeepers News reports that Local reports state that Ekpa was detained by Päijät-Häme District Court on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrest of five individuals suspected of terrorist activities through a statement released on Thursday.
The police said that Simon Ekpa, identified as the main suspect, was detained “on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” while the four others were apprehended “for financing a terrorist crime.”
The statement added, “Claims will be heard in Päijät-Häme district court today, November 21.”
The police emphasised that the investigation centers on “a Finnish citizen of Nigerian background, born in the 1980s, suspected of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent. The police suspect that the man has promoted his efforts from Finland by means that have led to violence against civilians and authorities as well as other crimes in the region of South-Eastern Nigeria.”
Head of the investigation, Crime Commissioner Otto Hiltunen said, “The man has carried out this activity, among other things, on his social media channels.”
Ekpa and the four other suspects who are accused of financing the activities under investigation were arrested at the beginning of the week.
The police added that international cooperation has been integral to the preliminary investigation.
