A district court in Finland has sentenced Biafran political activist, Simon Ekpa, to six years imprisonment after finding him guilty of terrorism-related offences, aggravated tax fraud, and breaches of legal statutes governing attorneys.
The Paijat-Hame District Court held that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa actively participated in a terrorist organisation and publicly incited crimes with terrorist intent.
He was accused of using his social media influence to inflame tensions in Nigeria’s South-East, promoting Biafra independence by force and supporting armed groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition.
Ekpa, arrested by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation in November 2024, was also indicted for inciting violence online and financing separatist operations in Nigeria.
Reacting to the verdict, the Federal Government and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, commended the ruling, describing it as a watershed in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the judgment was a relief for Nigerians who had suffered years of violence allegedly instigated by Ekpa.
“For years, Ekpa’s reckless incitement and orchestration of violence through IPOB terror activities unleashed unspeakable pain: families shattered, businesses destroyed, children orphaned, and entire communities forced to live in fear. Hundreds of lives were lost, and many more maimed, in pursuit of a destructive and unlawful agenda that sought to undermine the peace, unity, and sovereignty of our nation,” Idris stated.
On his part, Gen. Musa described the conviction as a landmark victory for global counterterrorism efforts.
He stressed that the case underscored international resolve to hold terror financiers and instigators accountable, irrespective of location.
“This judgment sends a strong message that there is no haven for individuals or groups who sponsor or encourage acts of terror against Nigeria or any other sovereign state. The Armed Forces of Nigeria commend the Finnish authorities for their diligence in ensuring justice is served,” Musa said.
He further applauded Nigerian security, intelligence and diplomatic agencies for providing evidence that aided the conviction, noting that it demonstrated the strength of international collaboration in dismantling transnational terrorist networks.
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) welcomed the ruling but noted it was a sobering reminder of Nigeria’s failure to hold perpetrators accountable at home.
“That justice came not in Nigeria but in faraway Finland is deeply telling,” the group said.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has dissociated itself from Ekpa, insisting that his activities have no link to the organisation.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group accused the Nigerian government of attempting to smear its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by linking him with Ekpa.“Ekpa admitted in court that he was merely a content creator.
He had disowned IPOB and even boasted of working to destroy it. Any attempt to associate him with IPOB is a brazen fraud against truth and justice,” IPOB stated.