The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland has sentenced Nigerian-born Finnish politician, Simon Ekpa, to six years imprisonment for terrorism-related offences and other crimes.
The 40-year-old, a former municipal councillor in Lahti, was convicted on charges including participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
According to the court, between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa used social media to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through unlawful means. Judges found that he played a key role in reorganising the separatist movement, helping to establish armed groups that were classified as terrorist organisations.
Court documents revealed that Ekpa allegedly supplied the groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition, while also urging his online followers, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), to commit crimes in Nigeria.
Despite denying all charges, Ekpa was unanimously found guilty after a 12-session trial held between May and June 2025. He will remain in custody.
Finnish authorities first arrested him in December 2024, alongside four others who were later released due to insufficient evidence.
Ekpa, known for his controversial online broadcasts and involvement in the Biafran separatist movement, has been a polarising figure, attracting both support and condemnation within and outside Nigeria.
