The voice of a former municipal politician broke when he told about women killed in his home region

Former Lahti’s local politician definitely denied the charges of terrorism when he was heard at the Päijät-Häme District Court on Tuesday.

Nigerian births and in Lahti who represented the coalition Simon’s Ekpa40, accused of participating in the terrorist group and invitation to terrorist offenses in Nigeria. According to the prosecutor, the suspected crimes were committed from Lahti between 2021 and 2024.

The charges are related to the Biafra area in Nigeria. According to the prosecutor, EKPA has led the IPOB sewaratist group in the area’s independence and has served as Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic of Refugee. At the same time, according to the prosecutor, EKPA has founded, commanded and equipped several armed groups considered to be a terrorist group.

According to the prosecutor, EKPA has also published messages in the message service X, where he has, among other things, called the Nigerian army as terrorists or killers against whom the Biafraians must defend them by killing them.

Biafra has tried to become independent in the past. The company in 1967 led to a civil war that continued until 1970 and demanded the lives of over one million people.

Ekpa was born in Biafra in 1985. Athletics brought him to Finland in 2007 and later became a Finnish citizen.

Ekpa was heard in the District Court via an interpreter of English. He said he was a « average supporter of Nigeria » until he heard at the turn of the decade that the troops supporting the Nigerian government had attacked his home community in Biafra.

« Three of the women had been killed, their neck had been cut – I lost my mother when I was three months old. The killing of these women hit me very badly, » Ekpa said in court, breaking the voice.

Ekpa began to make live broadcasts on social media, where he shared information, pictures and videos of the situation in Biafra. He said he understood that it would be best if the Biafraians would get « freedom » from Nigeria.

« If they had freedom if they had their own state, maybe in accordance with the Finnish state model, » Ekpa said.

Because of his social publications, Ekpa said he had contacted the Biafra local government and began to pass on its messages to the world. He also said he had acted as a messenger between people.

Ekpa said he had been elected as Prime Minister of the Biafra Refugee Government, but according to Ekpa, this task was completely ceremonial. He has completely denied IPOB belonging.

Ekpa denied that he had any power in the local government or armed groups. He said his target audience was people outside Biafra.

« I think my activities have been a service to humanity. »