Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland has sentenced Simon Ekpa to six years in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism-related offenses.
Before his arrest and arraignment, Simon Ekpa was the self-proclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra Government in Exile.
According to the ruling, Ekpa was linked to a terrorist organisation and used his platform to encourage crimes committed for terrorist purposes.
The case centered on his activities connected to the push for an independent Biafra, a region in southeastern Nigeria that briefly declared independence in the late 1960s.
The court stated that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa used his large social media following to fuel unrest in the Biafra region.
He was described as a leading figure in a separatist movement that created armed groups determined to achieve independence through violence.
The judgment also revealed that Ekpa helped supply weapons, explosives, and ammunition to these groups through his contacts in Nigeria.
In addition, Simon Ekpa was found guilty of urging his followers on X (formerly Twitter) to carry out crimes in Nigeria.
Ekpa, who has lived in Lahti, Finland, for years and once served as a local councillor, committed these acts from Finnish territory, giving the court authority over the case.
Although he denied the allegations, the court also convicted him of aggravated tax fraud alongside the terrorism charges.
Originally from Nigeria, Ekpa moved to Finland in 2007 as an athlete.
The judgment delivered on Monday is not yet final and can be challenged in a higher court.
KanyiDaily recalls that Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters previously said that Simon Ekpa will be extradited to Nigeria to face terrorism charges.
