Police in Finland arrest five suspects over separatist violence in southeast Nigeria

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) — Police in Finland have detained five suspects over their alleged involvement in separatist violence in southeastern Nigeria. The police did not confirm the identity of any of the suspects who were detained earlier this week, but Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa resides in the Finnish city of Lahti, where a district court is considering the request to extend the suspects’ detention. Police said they are investigating a dual Finnish-Nigerian citizen on suspicion of publicly instigating terrorism-related violence in south-eastern Nigeria, as well as four other people. Nigeria has suffered years of violence related to the activity of armed extremist groups and also social protests against cost-of-living crisis and allegedly bad governance.