Nigerian-born Finn Simon Ekpa was sentenced to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes and other offenses by the Päijät-Häme District Court on Monday, according to official court documents seen by BBC News Pidgin on Monday.
Ekpa, The 40-year-old former municipal politician from Lahti was convicted on multiple charges, including participation in the activities of a terrorist organization, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The court ordered that Ekpa remain in custody.
According to the ruling, between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa attempted to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through illegal means.
“He used social media to gain a politically influential position and took advantage of the confusion within a key separatist movement in Nigeria to play a significant role in it,” the court statement stated, as reported by BBC News Pidgin.
However, Ekpa refuted all charges against him.
The court also determined that Ekpa was crucial in establishing and strengthening the separatist movement into a more organized organization, cooperating with others.
During the trial, it was shown that the movement had developed armed organizations, which the court categorized as terrorist organizations.
“Ekpa equipped the groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition through his contact network. He also urged and enticed his followers on X (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria,” the court said.
The trial lasted 12 sessions from May 30 to June 25, 2025, and a panel of three judges unanimously delivered the verdict.
In December 2024, Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa on terrorism charges, accusing him of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent between August 23, 2021, and November 2024, primarily in the city of Lahti.
The self-acclaimed IPOB prime minister, and also a former municipal councillor in Lahti, is well-known for his controversial position in the Biafran separatist movement.
His online broadcasts and social media posts have received both sympathy and condemnation in Nigeria and abroad.
