Finnish court sentences Simon Ekpa to six years’ imprisonment for terrorism

A district court in Finland has sentenced a kingpin of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism.

Mr Ekpa was arrested by Finnish authorities on 21 November 2024, following an investigation by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation into allegations of inciting terrorism and promoting violence through social media, an activity that was believed to have contributed to unrest in southeastern Nigeria.

Following his arrest, Mr Ekpa was remanded in custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court, which determined that the charge was based on “public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent”, dating from August 2021 to November 2024.

During the trial, the NBI froze Ekpa’s financial assets, as well as those of his associates and related companies.

Back home in Nigeria, another leader and founder of the proscribed IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, is detained in the custody of the State Security Service over terrorism charges brought against him by the Nigerian government.