Simon Ekpa, who calls himself the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Government in Exile, has been sentenced to six years in prison by a District Court in Finland for terrorism-linked offences.
Ekpa’s troubles began when Finnish authorities arrested him on November 21, 2024, after investigations by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) tied him to inciting terrorism and promoting violence online. His fiery social media activities were believed to have fueled unrest and insecurity across parts of southeastern Nigeria.
The Päijät-Häme District Court, after reviewing the case, ruled that Ekpa’s actions amounted to “public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.” The charges covered his activities between August 2021 and November 2024, a period during which his online calls for violence became increasingly controversial.
To further tighten the noose, the NBI also froze Ekpa’s assets, including those of his close associates and related companies, cutting off financial networks believed to support his activities.
This judgment marks one of the biggest international moves against diaspora-based agitators whose online actions have far-reaching consequences back home in Nigeria.
