A Finnish court has sentenced Nigerian-born politician, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism offences and other crimes.
The Päijät-Häme District Court, in documents sighted on Monday, convicted the 40-year-old Lahti-based former councillor of offences bordering on terrorism, aggravated tax fraud, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The court also ordered that he remains in custody.
According to the judgment, the offences were committed between August 2021 and November 2024, during which Ekpa sought to push for the independence of the Biafra region in Nigeria through unlawful 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.
Ekpa denied all the allegations.
The court further held that Ekpa played a pivotal role in structuring the separatist movement into an organised body, working with others to establish armed groups, which it classified as terrorist organisations.
“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 spanned 12 sittings between May 30 and June 25, 2025, with a panel of three judges delivering a unanimous verdict.
Ekpa, who previously served as a councillor in Lahti, was arrested by Finnish authorities in December 2024 on suspicion of inciting terrorism.
