A district court in Finland has sentenced Nigerian-born Finnish politician and Biafran separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences and other serious crimes.
The Päijät-Häme District Court delivered the verdict on Monday, convicting the 40-year-old on several charges, including participation in a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit terrorism-related acts, aggravated tax fraud, and breaches of the Lawyers Act.
Ekpa, who had denied all charges, was unanimously convicted by a panel of three judges after a trial that spanned 12 sessions between May 30 and June 25, 2025. He has been ordered to remain in custody following the judgment.
According to court documents cited by BBC News Pidgin, Ekpa exploited social media from August 2021 to November 2024 to promote the secession of Nigeria’s southeastern Biafra region through unlawful and violent means.
“He used social media to gain a politically influential position and took advantage of confusion within a separatist movement in Nigeria to play a significant role in it,” the court said.
The court found that Ekpa played a pivotal role in transforming the Biafran separatist movement into a more structured organisation, fostering the creation of armed factions and facilitating the supply of weapons, explosives, and ammunition through an international network. He also urged his followers to commit crimes in Nigeria via his online broadcasts.
Ekpa was initially arrested in December 2024 by Finnish authorities on suspicion of inciting terrorism. Although four other individuals were also detained, charges against them were later dropped due to a lack of evidence.
A former municipal councillor in Lahti, Finland, Ekpa has long drawn attention for his controversial advocacy, stirring both support and backlash through his online presence and involvement in the Biafran movement.
