SAHARA REPORTERS
The authorities in Finland have frozen the assets of Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed Biafran agitator facing allegations of terrorism-related activities, who has been detained for several weeks.
The Finnish government also froze the assets of companies associated with Ekpa and four of his accomplices, who are also in remand.
Yle, a local newspaper in a report, stated these, adding that Ekpa is being held in the Kylmäkoski vankila, (Kylmäkoski prison), which is reputed to be one of the world’s toughest prisons.
SaharaReporters had reported that Ekpa may spend the Christmas and New Year breaks in detention, as the authorities in the country disclosed.
Mikko Laaksonen, Senior Detective Superintendent at the Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, had noted this, adding that the country’s legal system does not permit bail.
Menawhile, the Kylmäkoski prison, which is a high security prison is in Vanhamaantie, Akaa, Finland.
The Head of International Communications of Yle, Mika Ojamies, in response to enquiries from PUNCH, also confirmed that the suspect was in the prison.
The Kylmäkoski vankila was built in 1993 for male prisoners.
SaharaReporters had reported that Ekpa, self-styled “Prime Minister” of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, was arrested about four weeks ago alongside four others on suspicion of terrorism-related offences, including incitement to violence and financing terrorism.
The Finnish authorities had alleged that Ekpa utilised the social media to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East region, targeting civilians and government officials.
According to local media outlet Yle, Ekpa has been remanded on charges of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent.
The prison facility, where Ekpa is currently held, is known for accommodating people who have committed serious crimes, including violent suspects and sex offenders, is the largest closed-unit facility in Finland.
The prison currently houses 113 prisoners, mostly convicts and remand inmates.
The Kylmäkoski vankila was featured in a 2023 Netflix documentary series, “Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons.”
A journalist, Raphael Rowe, entered the wards and interacted with some of the inmates, including the most dangerous criminals in Finland.
Among the inmates interviewed were Toni, Olli, Michael, Danny, and Jani, who had histories of violence and crime.
Two of the inmates, Toni and Olli, were notorious for their brutal actions, and did not show remorse for their crimes during the conversation with Rowe.
Newcomers often smuggle in drugs, including subutex, cocaine and amphetamines, as well as cell phones. Subutex is a popular Finnish drug.
A prison officer confirmed the troubling trend in the video, noting that dealing with such violent, drug-affected prisoners was a major challenge for the prison system.
