A District Court in Finland has sentenced Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed leader of the so-called Biafra Government in Exile, to six years in prison for terrorism-related offenses.
Ekpa, a Nigerian-born Finnish citizen, was found guilty of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent. The court ruling was delivered after a lengthy investigation by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Ekpa was arrested on November 21, 2024, following allegations that he used his online platforms to encourage violence and disorder in southeastern Nigeria, particularly during the enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders by supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
According to the court in the Päijät-Häme district of Finland, Ekpa’s statements and broadcasts between August 2021 and November 2024 were intended to promote acts of violence, disrupt public peace, and incite unrest. These messages, often shared via social media, were ruled to have contributed to insecurity in Nigeria’s South-East region.
As part of the investigation, Finnish authorities also froze Ekpa’s assets, including accounts belonging to his associates and related companies.
The court said the sentence was necessary due to the seriousness of the offense and the cross-border impact of Ekpa’s actions. He was not only accused of spreading harmful messages but also of encouraging violence that led to loss of lives and property in Nigeria.
Ekpa, who claims to be the Prime Minister of the Biafra Government in Exile, had repeatedly called for civil disobedience and sit-at-home protests in Igbo-speaking parts of Nigeria, even from his base in Finland.
Nigerian authorities have previously condemned his actions, linking his calls to several violent incidents in the region. The Federal Government of Nigeria had also made diplomatic efforts to get Finland to act on Ekpa’s activities.
Although IPOB has repeatedly denied links with violent acts, groups acting in its name have often clashed with security forces, leading to killings and destruction in several states in the South-East.
