Finnish court convicts IPOB chieftain, Simon Ekpa of terrorism
A court in Finland has sentenced a chieftain of the proscribed Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to six years imprisonment for terrorism.
The Päijät-Häme District Court, in its ruling on Monday, held that Ekpa, a long-term resident of Lahti and former city councillor, participated in a terrorist organisation and publicly incited crimes for terrorist purposes.
The court agreed that the self-styled Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, exploited his extensive following on social media between August 2021 and November 2024 to promote violence and encourage unrest in Southeast Nigeria.
“The accused was an influential member of a separatist movement which established armed groups with the aim of securing Biafra’s independence through force,” the verdict stated.
Investigators told the court that Ekpa facilitated the supply of weapons, ammunition, and explosives to the groups through his contacts in Nigeria.
He was also found guilty of using the social media platform X to encourage followers to commit crimes in Nigeria.
The court added that because the offences were committed while he was residing in Finland, the country had jurisdiction to prosecute him. Ekpa, who was born in Nigeria and moved to Finland in 2007, denied all charges during the trial.
He was arrested on November 21, 2024 following an official complaint by the Nigerian government on his terror activities.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) investigated the allegations, and during the trial, froze his financial assets and those of his associates and related companies.
Ekpa was also convicted by the court for aggravated tax fraud.
