By Atoyebi Nike
A Finnish District Court has sentenced Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Government in Exile, to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes.
Ekpa was arrested by Finnish authorities on 21 November 2024 following a probe by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The investigation focused on allegations that he used social media platforms to incite terrorism and encourage violence, actions believed to have fueled unrest in southeastern Nigeria.
After his arrest, the Päijät-Häme District Court ordered his remand, ruling that the charges involved “public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.” The offenses were said to have occurred between August 2021 and November 2024.
Authorities also froze Ekpa’s assets, along with those of his associates and linked companies, as part of the wider investigation.
Ekpa, who has long styled himself as a leader of the IPOB government in exile, has been a controversial figure, with Nigerian authorities accusing him of worsening violence in the country’s southeast.
