1st September 2025
The Päijät-Häme District Court has sentenced Nigerian-born Finnish, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes and other offences.
The 40-year-old former municipal politician from Lahti and spokesman of the separatist group, the indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, was on Monday convicted on multiple charges, including participation in the activities of a terrorist organization, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The court ordered that Ekpa remain in custody.
According to the judgment, between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa attempted to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through illegal means.
“He used social media and radio Biafra to gain political influence and took advantage of the confusion within the IPOB movement in Nigeria to play a significant role in it.”
Ekpa, however denied all the charges read against him.
The court also found that Ekpa was instrumental in founding and developing the separatist movement into a more organized structure, working alongside others.
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It was revealed during the trial that armed groups were established under the movement, which the court classified as terrorist organisations.
“Ekpa equipped the groups with weapons, explosives and ammunition through his contact network. He also urged and enticed his followers on X to commit crimes in Nigeria,” the court said.
The trial was conducted over 12 sessions between May 30 and June 25, 2025, with a panel of three judges unanimously delivering the verdict.
Ekpa was arrested by the Finnish authorities in December 2024 on charges linked to terrorism.
He was held on probable cause and suspicion of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent.
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The alleged offences were said to have occurred between August 23, 2021, and November 2024, primarily in the city of Lahti.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation had initially arrested four other men in connection with the case but the charges against them were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Ekpa, who previously served as a municipal councillor in Lahti, is widely known for his controversial role in the Biafran separatist movement.
Most of his online broadcasts and social media activity lead to disruption of markets and business activities especially in eastern Nigeria and drew both support and condemnation within country and internationally,
