By Uboh-Ekong Treasure
The Finnish district court has sentenced Nigerian born Finnish politician and separatist activist, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism related offences, including incitement to commit crimes and participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation.
The ruling, delivered on Monday by the Päijät-Häme District Court, followed a lengthy trial that examined Ekpa’s role in promoting separatist violence linked to the Biafra movement in Nigeria.
According to the judgment, Ekpa’s activities between August 2021 and November 2024 were aimed at promoting the independence of Nigeria’s South-East, commonly referred to as Biafra, through unlawful means.
The court held that Ekpa was an influential member of a militant separatist movement seeking to establish an independent Biafran state. The judges noted that he encouraged his followers on social media platform X to commit crimes in Nigeria and facilitated the supply of weapons, explosives, and ammunition through networks of contacts. He was also convicted of aggravated tax fraud and violations of Finland’s Lawyers Act.
Ekpa, a long-term resident of Lahti and a former municipal councillor, denied all terrorism related charges during the proceedings. However, the judges ruled that his activities, carried out from Finnish territory, provided the court with jurisdiction.
The court ordered that he remain in custody while serving his sentence.
