Finnish court ‘finishes’ Simon Ekpa, hands him 6-year jail term
The Päijät-Häme District Court of Finland on Monday, sentenced Simon Ekpa to six years imprisonment for terrorism offences, amongst others, according to a court document from the District Secretary.
According to the court document, the 40-year-old former Lahti municipal politician promoted activities of terror groups, incited the public to terrorism, engaged in aggravated tax fraud and violated the provisions of the Lawyers Act.
The court said Ekpa attempted to promote the Independence of Biafra region in south-eastern Nigeria through illegal means between August 2021 and November 2024, used the social media to gain politically influential position and took advantage of the confusion in a key separatist movement in Nigeria to obtain a significant role within the movement. Though, Ekpa pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges.
The court also found that Ekpa helped develop the activities of the separatist movement into an increasingly organised form, together with others, with armed groups established under the movement, considered to be terrorist groups.
Ekpa was also found to have equipped the groups with weapons, explosives and ammunition through his contact network, while urging and enticing his X-account followers to commit crimes in Nigeria.
He was arrested by Finnish authorities on November 21 2024, after an investigation by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation into allegations of inciting terrorism and promoting violence through the social media.
Ekpa was remanded in custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court, after being charged with “public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent”, beginning from August 2021 to November 2024, with his assets and those of his associates frozen all through the trial period.
The Nigerian President Bola Tinubu had earlier in the year applauded the Finish government for the arrest and detention of Simon Ekpa, when he received the Letters of Credence from the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Sanna Selin, stating that the government will not tolerate actions and statements that could lead to divisiveness among citizens, and commending the Finnish authorities for the timely intervention that safeguarded the nation’s integrity and peaceful coexistence.
