The Federal Government has stated that the conviction of pro-Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa, is a significant victory in Nigeria’s relentless battle against terrorism and violent extremism.
The Nigerian government said the ruling has not only brought justice but also reinforced the country’s determination to dismantle networks that fuel unrest and bloodshed.
Furthermore, the federal government emphasised that the decision underscored a growing international consensus against the use of social media and propaganda to incite violence, noting that Ekpa’s sentencing signals an era of greater accountability for those sponsoring or promoting terror-related activities.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the judgment as “a major victory in the war against terror”.
Idris added, “We welcome the news of Simon Ekpa’s conviction by a Finnish court for terrorism-related crimes, and his sentencing to six years in prison. This is a significant win for the Nigerian people in our collective fight to keep our nation safe.”
Simon Ekpa’s conviction followed a verdict delivered by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland, which found him guilty of promoting terrorist acts and aiding a terrorist organisation.
Sentencing Ekpa, the court ruled that he used his extensive social media following to provoke violent disruptions in Nigeria’s south-east between August 2021 and November 2024.
The Guild reports that Ekpa, a self-proclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), rose to prominence as a leading voice behind the sit-at-home campaign, a movement whose violent enforcement claimed the lives of civilians and security personnel in the region.
Following Kanu’s extradition from Kenya in June 2021, Ekpa briefly took over as lead broadcaster of Radio Biafra before his dismissal for refusing to comply with operational guidelines.
Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa in November 2024 for allegedly spreading terrorist propaganda online.
By March 2025, Nigeria’s Federal Government formally designated him a “terrorism financier,” citing his role in sponsoring acts of violence linked to secessionist activities.
