Finnish authorities have frozen the assets of Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed Biafran agitator accused of terrorism-related activities.
Ekpa, who has been in detention for several weeks, is also facing asset freezes on companies linked to him and four accomplices, who are also in custody.
According to a report by Yle, Ekpa is being held in Kylmäkoski Prison, one of the toughest in the world.
Ekpa, the self-styled “Prime Minister” of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, was arrested alongside four others on suspicion of terrorism-related charges, including incitement to violence and funding terrorism. Finnish authorities claim that Ekpa used social media to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East, targeting civilians and government officials.
Mikko Laaksonen, Senior Detective Superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, confirmed that the country’s legal system does not allow bail, meaning Ekpa could remain in detention over the holiday season.
Kylmäkoski Prison, located in Akaa, Finland, is a high-security facility known for housing violent criminals and sex offenders. It is the largest closed-unit prison in Finland, currently holding 113 inmates.
The prison was featured in a 2023 Netflix documentary, “Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons,” which showcased the violent and often remorseless inmates. Despite the challenges, including the smuggling of drugs and phones, the prison continues to handle high-risk offenders.
