FG hails Simon Ekpa’s conviction In Finland, Says It's "Major Victory For Nigeria's War Against Terror

The Federal Government says that the conviction of Simon Ekpa for terrorism-related offences and other charges by a Finnish Court is “a major victory” against terrorism.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, spoke while reacting to Ekpa’s sentencing to six years in prison by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland on Monday.

According to Idris, "We welcome the news of Simon Ekpa’s conviction by a Finnish court for terrorism-related crimes and his sentencing to six years in prison. A major victory for the Nigerian people in the collective fight against terror.” 

He made the Federal Government's position known on his X handle.

Ekpa was found guilty of participating in the activities of a terrorist group, inciting the public to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, engaging in aggravated tax fraud, and violating the Lawyers Act.

The court ordered that he remain in custody.

The judges found that he supplied these groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition, and encouraged followers on X (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria.

The trial, which started from May 30 to June 25, 2025, included 12 days of hearings, with a panel of three judges unanimously delivering the verdict on Monday.

According to the ruling reported by a Finnish newspaper, Yle, the three-member panel of judges, in a unanimous ruling, also stated that Ekpa was an influential member of a militant separatist movement whose goal was to actualise the secession of a Biafran state from Nigeria.

Yle, further quoted the judges as stating that Ekpa supplied these groups with “weapons, explosives, and ammunition” through his network of contacts in the region, and also encouraged his followers on the social media platform X to “commit crimes” in Nigeria.

A long-term resident of Lahti and one-time local councillor, Ekpa reportedly committed the crimes from the Finnish city, according to the verdict, giving the Finnish court jurisdiction in the case.

However, Ekpa had denied all the charges in court, even as the district court’s verdict is not final, as it can be appealed to a higher court.

Ekpa was arrested in December 2024 after Finnish authorities accused him of spreading separatist propaganda and inciting violence through social media.

The 40-year-old former municipal politician from Lahti was convicted on multiple charges, including participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.

According to the judgment, 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 further stated as reported by BBC News pidgin.

Ekpa denied all the charges against him.

The court also found that Ekpa was instrumental in founding and developing the separatist movement into a more organised structure, working alongside others.

“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.

He was held on probable cause and suspicion of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation also initially arrested four other men in connection with the case. However, charges against them were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Ekpa, who previously served as a municipal councillor in Lahti, is widely known for his controversial role in the Biafran separatist movement.

His online broadcasts and social media activity have drawn both support and condemnation within and outside Nigeria.