The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland has sentenced a Nigerian resident in Finland, Simon Ekpa to six-year in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism-related crimes.
The verdict, delivered on Monday, established that Ekpa, a pro-Biafra agitator, incited terrorism and was actively involved in the operations of a terrorist organization in Nigeria.
According to Finnish daily The Yle, the judges ruled that Ekpa exploited his “significant social media following” to inflame unrest in Nigeria’s South-Eastern states between August 2021 and November 2024.
In their unanimous judgment, the three-member panel described Ekpa as a key figure in a separatist armed movement pushing to establish an independent Biafra state.
The court further ruled that Ekpa had facilitated the supply of weapons, explosives, and ammunition to certain groups “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”.
Local media reports quoted the Finnish daily as saying that beyond the terrorism charges, Ekpa was also found guilty of aggravated tax evasion and breaches of Finland’s Attorneys Act.
Meanwhile, reacting to the verdict, the Nigerian Government welcomed the decision of the court, describing it as a major step in the global fight against extremism and a boost to international legal cooperation.
In a statement, the Nigerian government said: “This ruling stands as a watershed moment – not only for the countless innocent Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods have been brutally disrupted by the reign of terror incited and financed by Ekpa and his collaborators—but also for the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Finland.”
The government commended the Finnish judiciary for what it described as a firm stand in upholding the rule of law, while reiterating its commitment to using diplomatic, legal, and security channels to maintain national peace and sovereignty.
“By upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served, the Finnish judiciary has not only vindicated Nigeria’s consistent position on this matter but also sent a clear signal to extremists everywhere that the world is watching, and justice will catch up with those who seek to destabilise societies through terror.”
The statement also reaffirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and maintaining peace and unity through all available means—diplomatic, military, and judicial.
Calling on followers of Ekpa and others involved in separatist violence to renounce armed struggle, the government urged them to lay down their arms and embrace peace.
“We urge all those who, under the misguidance of Simon Ekpa and others, have taken up arms against their fatherland to immediately lay them down and embrace the path of peace.
“Nigeria is big enough for all its people, but there can be no progress where violence and division prevail.”
The minister also expressed appreciation to Nigeria’s security and intelligence agencies, the Armed Forces, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Office of the National Security Adviser for their continued efforts in maintaining national security amid ongoing challenges.
Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, also welcomed the ruling, describing it as “a landmark victory in the global effort to combat terrorism and violent extremism.”
In a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, the CDS stated, “The conviction reinforces the principle that those who incite violence and fund terrorism will be held accountable, regardless of their location.”
General Musa also commended Nigeria’s law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and diplomats, saying their work demonstrated the power of international collaboration.
GIK/APA