The Päijät-Häme district court in Finland has sentenced Simon Ekpa, pro-Biafra agitator, to six years in prison for terrorism offences.
In a ruling delivered on Monday, the court found Ekpa guilty of inciting terrorism and participating in the activities of a terrorist group.
Acording to Yle, a Finnish newspaper, the court said Ekpa had used his “significant social media following” to stoke tensions in Nigeria’s south-east region between August 2021 and November 2024.
In a unanimous ruling, the three-member panel of judges also stated that Ekpa was an influential member of a militant separatist movement whose goal was to actualise the carving out of a Biafra state from Nigeria.
The district court also noted that Ekpa had supplied certain groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition “through his network of contacts in the region, and he was also found to have encouraged his followers on social media platform X to commit crimes in Nigeria”.
The court also convicted Ekpa of aggravated tax fraud and violating the provisions of the Attorneys Act.
Ekpa, 40, is a self-acclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
After Kanu was extradited to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021, Ekpa was appointed as the lead broadcaster of Radio Biafra.
Weeks later, IPOB announced Ekpa’s dismissal, citing his refusal to sign the rules of engagement of Radio Biafra.
The development strained the relationship between IPOB and Ekpa, with the Finland-based lawyer going on to form a splinter secessionist group.
The separatist used his social media platforms, especially X, to issue sit-at-home directives in the south-east geopolitical zone, while calling for attacks on security operatives.
On numerous occasions, IPOB distanced itself from the activities and directives of Ekpa.
In November 2024, Ekpa was arrested by law enforcement in Finland.
He was subsequently sent to prison by the district court for “spreading terrorist propaganda on social media”.
In March 2025, the federal government designated Ekpa a “terrorism financier”.
