Finland Jails Simon Ekpa Six Years For Terrorism Offences

A district court in Päijät-Häme, Finland, has sentenced pro-Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison over terrorism-related crimes.

Ekpa, who describes himself as the Prime Minister of the self-styled “Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile,” was convicted on charges bordering on incitement to violence and financing terrorism.

The Finnish government had in November 2024 announced the arrest of Ekpa alongside four others on allegations of engaging in terror-related activities.

According to Finnish authorities, Ekpa allegedly used social media platforms to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East region, targeting both civilians and government institutions.

Following his arrest, the Päijät-Häme District Court ordered him remanded in custody on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.

Ekpa, through his lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, denied the allegations, insisting that much of the information presented against him originated from Nigeria and could not be fully relied upon.

For years, Ekpa has been accused by Nigerian authorities and community leaders of fueling terrorism and violence in the South-East.

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Security reports linked his broadcasts and directives with the enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders, which often left communities paralysed and led to killings, arson, and destruction of public infrastructure.

Many residents and analysts blame his influence for worsening insecurity in the region, with armed groups enforcing his directives reportedly targeting civilians, security operatives, and government facilities.

Beyond terrorism-related offences, the Finnish court also heard claims of serious tax fraud against Ekpa. Investigators alleged he failed to declare substantial financial inflows traced to his activities.

There are also reports that he may have attempted to procure arms for pro-Biafra groups — an allegation now under review by authorities.

Officials disclosed that Ekpa’s case was the product of a joint investigation between Finnish law enforcement and Nigerian security agencies, following concerns that his activities abroad were destabilising communities back home.

Simon Ekpa, a lawyer and former athlete, hails from Ebonyi State, Nigeria. He gained prominence as a disciple of the detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, before declaring himself the head of a breakaway “government-in-exile.”

In Nigeria, Ekpa has repeatedly been accused of inciting violence, coordinating illegal sit-at-home orders, and destabilising the South-East through inflammatory broadcasts. Although IPOB leadership has publicly distanced itself from him, many security incidents in the region have been linked to his directives.

While he has not been formally tried in Nigeria for terrorism, he has been consistently fingered by authorities as one of the figures influencing armed groups in the region.