By Olatunbosun Obafemi
A Finnish court has sentenced Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Government in Biafra, to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences.
The court found Ekpa guilty of participating in a terrorist organisation and publicly inciting crimes for terrorist purposes. His conviction stems from alleged activities between August 2021 and November 2024, when he used his large social media following to stoke tensions in Nigeria’s southeast while pushing for an independent Biafran state.
According to the ruling, Ekpa played a key role in separatist movements that created armed groups aimed at achieving Biafra’s independence by force. The court said he facilitated the supply of weapons, explosives, and ammunition through his contacts and repeatedly encouraged violence through posts on X (formerly Twitter).
Ekpa was arrested by Finnish authorities on November 21, 2024, after an investigation by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). Following his arrest, his assets, along with those of his associates and linked companies, were frozen.
Meanwhile, IPOB has disowned Ekpa, insisting he has never been a member of the group. In a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, IPOB described attempts to link him with the movement as “misleading.”
“The record is clear. IPOB, under oath in a Finnish court, testified that Simon Ekpa has never held any position in IPOB or ESN. Ekpa himself, under oath, described himself merely as a content creator and admitted he disowned IPOB,” the statement read.
