Finnish Court Sentences Simon Ekpa To Six Years For Terrorism Offences.
Lahti, Finland – The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland has sentenced Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-born former local politician, to six years in prison after convicting him of terrorism-related crimes. The ruling, delivered on Monday, 1 September 2025, found Ekpa guilty of participating in a terrorist organisation and inciting crimes for terrorist purposes, linked to separatist activities in Nigeria’s southeastern region.
Ekpa, a 40-year-old resident of Lahti and former member of the National Coalition Party, was arrested on 21 November 2024 alongside four others on suspicion of terrorism-related offences. The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, investigated his activities, which allegedly involved using social media between August 2021 and November 2024 to promote violence and unrest in support of Biafran independence. The court also convicted him of aggravated tax fraud and breaches of Finland’s Lawyers Act.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has welcomed the verdict, describing it as a significant step in the fight against terrorism. A statement from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, highlighted the ruling as a “watershed moment” for victims of violence incited by Ekpa and a boost to Nigeria-Finland bilateral relations. The government urged those influenced by Ekpa to abandon violence and embrace peace.
Ekpa, who has lived in Finland since 2007 and became a citizen, denied the charges during the trial, which spanned 12 hearing days between May and June 2025. The sentence is not final and may be appealed to a higher court. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), with which Ekpa was associated, has distanced itself from the conviction, asserting that he was never a member and that his actions were independent.
The case has drawn international attention, with Finnish authorities freezing Ekpa’s financial assets and those of his associates during the investigation. The verdict underscores growing efforts to hold individuals accountable for online incitement of violence, marking a notable development in cross-border legal cooperation.
