Simon Ekpa, the self-styled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) faction known as the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), has been sentenced to six years in prison by a Finnish court
The Päijät-Häme District Court found Ekpa guilty of terrorism-related charges, including participating in a terrorist organization and publicly inciting crimes for terrorist purposes.
The court determined that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa used his substantial social media following to inflame tensions in Nigeria’s southeastern Biafra region.
Ekpa was also convicted of supplying armed separatist groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition through his network, as well as aggravated tax fraud. He denied all charges during the trial.
The Finnish court’s ruling is not final and can be appealed to a higher court. Ekpa, a long-term resident of Lahti and former local councillor, was arrested in November 2024 by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which also froze his assets and those of his associates.
The Nigerian government has expressed interest in prosecuting Ekpa for promoting separatist violence in the Southeast via social media, although no official extradition request from Finland has been announced.
The sentencing represents a significant step in the international effort to address the activities of separatist movements and their leaders operating from abroad.