Simon Ekpa Sentenced to Six Years in Finnish Prison for Terror-Related Offenses

Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) faction known as the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), has been sentenced to six years in prison by a Finnish court.

The Päijät-Häme District Court found Ekpa guilty of terrorism-related offenses, including membership in a terrorist organization and publicly inciting crimes for terrorist purposes. The court ruled that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa leveraged his large social media following to fuel tensions in Nigeria’s southeastern Biafra region.

He was also convicted of supplying weapons, explosives, and ammunition to armed separatist groups, as well as aggravated tax fraud. Ekpa denied all charges throughout the trial.

The ruling by the Finnish court is not final and can be appealed. Ekpa, a long-term Lahti resident and former local councillor, was arrested in November 2024 by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which also froze his assets and those of his associates.

The Nigerian government has indicated interest in prosecuting Ekpa for using social media to promote separatist violence in the Southeast, although no official extradition request from Finland has been reported.

The sentencing marks a key move in international efforts to tackle the activities of separatist movements and their leaders operating from abroad.