A district court in Finland has sentenced Simon Ekpa, a key figure of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to six years’ imprisonment on terrorism-related charges.
Ekpa was arrested on November 21, 2024, by Finnish authorities following an investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) into allegations of inciting terrorism and promoting violence through social media.
His online activities were said to have fueled unrest in southeastern Nigeria.
After his arrest, the Päijät-Häme District Court ordered his detention, ruling that the charges stemmed from “public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent,” covering the period between August 2021 and November 2024.
During the proceedings, the NBI froze Ekpa’s financial assets, along with those of his associates and affiliated companies.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, IPOB’s founder and leader, Nnamdi Kanu, remains in the custody of the State Security Service as he faces terrorism charges filed by the federal government.
