The Päijät-Häme District Court has sentenced Nigerian-born Finnish, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes and other offences.
This is according to official court documents seen by BBC News Pidgin on Monday.
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.
The court ordered that Ekpa remain in custody.
The judgement noted that Ekpa attempted to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through illegal means between August 2021 and November 2024.
“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 judgement document reads.
Ekpa denied all the charges against him.
Also, the court found out that Ekpa was instrumental in founding and developing the separatist movement into a more organised structure, working alongside others.
It revealed during the trial that armed groups were set up under the movement, which the court classified as terrorist organisations.
“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 document added.
The trial was conducted over 12 sessions between May 30 and June 25, 2025, with a panel of three judges unanimously delivering the verdict.
Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa in December 2024 on charges linked to terrorism.
He was held on probable cause and suspicion of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent.
The alleged offences were said to have occurred between August 23, 2021, and November 2024, primarily in the city of Lahti.
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.
