A Finnish district court has handed down a six-year prison sentence to Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-born Finnish citizen and prominent figure in the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), after finding him guilty of terrorism-related offenses and financial crimes. The ruling, delivered on Monday by a three-judge panel at the Päijät-Häme District Court, brings to a close a high-profile case that has attracted attention both in Nigeria and internationally, given its implications for separatist movements and the reach of European jurisdiction.
The court concluded that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa used his influence from his base in Lahti, Finland, to incite unrest in Nigeria’s southeast, a region historically associated with the Biafra independence struggle. Judges determined that he had coordinated the supply of weapons, explosives, and ammunition to armed groups operating in the area, while also leveraging his substantial online following to call for violence and enforce economic shutdowns through “sit-at-home” orders. These shutdowns, often marked by violence and intimidation, have had devastating effects on the lives and livelihoods of ordinary residents across the southeast.
Ekpa, who has lived in Finland since moving there as an athlete in 2007 and once served briefly as a local councillor, rose to prominence as a leading voice of IPOB following the arrest of its founder, Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB itself was banned by the Nigerian government in 2017 and has since been accused of responsibility for hundreds of killings and abductions in the region, charges the group has consistently denied. The court in Finland, however, accepted the prosecution’s evidence that Ekpa’s actions went beyond political advocacy and crossed into material support for terrorism.
The judges noted that while the Biafra independence question is a politically sensitive matter rooted in Nigeria’s post-colonial history, with its roots in the 1967–1970 civil war that claimed over one million lives through combat, starvation, and lack of medical care, Ekpa’s activities represented a criminal misuse of his platform. The panel emphasized that the crimes were orchestrated from Finland, giving the court jurisdiction to prosecute under Finnish law.
In addition to the terrorism-related convictions, Ekpa was also found guilty of aggravated tax fraud, a charge unrelated to his political activities but one which, according to prosecutors, reflected a broader pattern of unlawful conduct. He has denied all charges and has not yet announced whether he intends to appeal the verdict to a higher court.
The Nigerian government has welcomed the ruling as a breakthrough in international cooperation against terrorism, with some officials suggesting they may seek his eventual repatriation. Human rights observers, however, caution that the case underscores the delicate balance between prosecuting individuals accused of fueling violence and safeguarding legitimate political expression, especially in regions where historical grievances remain unresolved.
Ekpa’s conviction signals a rare instance of European courts directly addressing the activities of separatist leaders operating abroad, raising questions about the extraterritorial reach of justice in cases where local conflicts have global ramifications. For Nigeria, it represents a symbolic win in its long-running struggle to contain secessionist militancy. For Finland, it marks a precedent-setting judgment in the complex intersection of diaspora politics, digital platforms, and national security.
Key Details at a Glance
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Charges and Convictions
The court found Ekpa guilty of:-
Participating in activities of a terrorist group.
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Public incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes.
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Aggravated tax fraud.
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Violating provisions of the Lawyers Act (practicing without a license)
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Scope of Criminal Activities
Between August 2021 and November 2024, while residing in Lahti, Finland, Ekpa used his social media platforms to rally followers in support of a renewed independence push for Biafra. The court found that he facilitated the provision of weapons, explosives, and ammunition to armed groups in Southeastern Nigeria through his contact networks -
Regional and Historical Context
IPOB, founded by Nnamdi Kanu, was banned by the Nigerian government in 2017. Ekpa, who had assumed leadership after Kanu’s arrest, led “sit-at-home” protests—economic shutdowns aimed at coercing compliance—which reportedly contributed to hundreds of deaths and severe economic losses in Nigeria -
Reactions from Nigeria
The Nigerian federal government praised the sentence as a “major victory” in the shared fight against terrorism. Officials have already begun considering repatriation options for Ekpa at the end of his sentence
