Breaking: Finnish Court Finally Sentences Simon Ekpa to Prison Over Terrorism
- Nine months after his arrest, a court in Finland has sentenced the controversial Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, to prison
- The court, on Monday, September 1, ruled that Ekpa had participated in a terrorist organisation and had publicly incited deadly violence
- Ekpa's social media messages have openly encouraged killings of Nigerian security agents in the south east region
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering global affairs.
Helsinki, Finland - Paijat-Hame District Court has sentenced Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa to six years in prison.
A mentee of top separatist Nnamdi Kanu, Ekpa was sanctioned after the court found him guilty of terrorism-related charges.
Source: Twitter
The development is expected to delight Nigerian government officials.
Legit.ng reports that Ekpa leads ‘Autopilot’, a faction within the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which is fighting for a breakaway state in south-eastern Nigeria.
Biafra: Simon Ekpa sentenced
As reported on Monday, September 1, by Finnish media outlet Yle, the court ruled that Ekpa had participated in a terrorist organisation and had publicly incited crimes for destructive purposes.
BBC also noted the development.
The charges relate to Ekpa's alleged activities aimed at re-establishing an independent state in the Biafra region of southeastern Nigeria, which was briefly independent in the late 1960s.
In its verdict, the court said that Ekpa had used his significant social media following to stoke tensions in the southeast region between August 2021 and November 2024.
It added that Ekpa was an influential member of a Biafran separatist movement, which established armed groups aimed at bringing about Biafran independence by force.
Source: Twitter
The district court's ruling further noted that Ekpa had supplied these groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition through his network of contacts in the region, and he was also found to have encouraged his followers on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria.
Ekpa, a long-term resident of Lahti and one-time local councillor, committed these crimes from the Finnish city, the verdict added, meaning the Finnish court had jurisdiction in the case.
Ekpa had denied all the charges in court. Born in Nigeria, he moved to Finland in 2007 as an athlete.
Simon Ekpa free to appeal
The court on Monday, September 1, also convicted him of aggravated tax fraud.
The district court's verdict is not final, meaning it can be appealed to a higher court.
Read more on Simon Ekpa:
- Simon Ekpa: Nigerian Army provides major update on move to extradite Biafra separatist leader
- FG breaks silence on moves to extradite Simon Ekpa from Finland amid Nnamdi Kanu's trial
Tinubu speaks on Simon Ekpa's detention
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu welcomed the intervention of the Finnish government with the arrest and detention of Ekpa.
Tinubu spoke when he received the Letters of Credence from the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Sanna Selin, at the State House, Abuja.
Tinubu said the government will not tolerate actions and statements that could lead to divisiveness among citizens.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
