Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been arrested by Finnish authorities.
According to the BBC, Ekpa was sentenced to prison by the district court of Päijät-Häme for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.
Ekpa was accused of committing the crime in 2021 in Lahti municipality.
Four more males were arrested by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on suspicion of terrorist activity.
Ekpa, a Finnish and Nigerian citizen, has declared himself as the separatist IPOB group’s head after Nnamdi Kanu’s detention.
Finnish police say Ekpa’s activities and social media rhetoric may have fanned the flames of violence in the south-east of Nigeria.
“He carries out these activities from his social media channels, for example,” said Otto Hiltunen, detective chief inspector of the NBI.
Ekpa was arrested by police at his Lahti home in February 2023, but he was freed after several hours of questioning.
Ekpa used his social media networks to urge Igbos not to vote in Nigeria’s 2023 general election.
In September 2021, the Biafra agitator and secessionist criticised Nigeria and promised to return the medal he won for his country in the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.