The Federal Government on Friday attributed the arrest of Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in-Exile, to sustained diplomatic pressure on Finland by Nigeria.

Ekpa was arrested alongside four others on Thursday on suspicion of terrorist activities. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme has ruled to keep him in detention on probable cause, citing his alleged involvement in inciting violence through social media.

A day after his arrest, the Nigerian government says it is closely monitoring the legal proceedings of Ekpa.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to confirm the arrest of Mr Simon Njoku Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen and prominent leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), by Finnish authorities on Thursday, November 21, 2024,” spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said in a statement.

The ministry said it would continue to track the progress of Ekpa’s legal case, emphasising the importance of the proceedings in addressing the influence of IPOB and transnational actors on Nigeria’s national security.

“He was charged with inciting terrorism and promoting violence. The Finnish District Court of Päijät-Häme ruled to detain him on probable cause for publicly inciting crimes with terrorist intent.

“The Ministry wishes to affirm that the arrest of Mr Simon Ekpa is a significant development in addressing the activities of IPOB, and also neutralising the influence of transnational actors and their impact on our national security.

“The Ministry will continue to monitor the legal proceedings and provide further updates as the case progresses,” the statement added.