The Federal Government has said it may seek the repatriation of Simon Ekpa to Nigeria after his conviction in Finland.
On September 1, the Päijät-Häme District Court sentenced Ekpa to six years in prison for terrorism-linked crimes. The 40-year-old Nigerian-born Finnish citizen was also convicted of aggravated tax fraud and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The court found that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa “used social media to gain a politically influential position and exploited confusion in a separatist movement in Nigeria.”
It added that he “equipped groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition through his contact network, and urged his followers on X to commit crimes in Nigeria.”
FG Reacts to Verdict
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told The PUNCH: “The Nigerian government will assess the situation and take decisions in the best interest of the country.”
In an official statement, the FG described the ruling as “a watershed moment – not only for the countless innocent Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods have been brutally disrupted by the reign of terror incited and financed by Ekpa and his collaborators—but also for the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Finland.”
Idris added: “By upholding the rule of law, the Finnish judiciary has vindicated Nigeria’s consistent position. The verdict sends a clear signal to extremists everywhere that justice will catch up with those who seek to destabilise societies through terror.”
The government also urged Ekpa’s followers to surrender arms: “We urge all those who, under the misguidance of Simon Ekpa and others, have taken up arms against their fatherland to immediately lay them down and embrace peace. Nigeria is big enough for all its people, but there can be no progress where violence and division prevail.”
IPOB Responds to Conviction
Meanwhile, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) distanced itself from Ekpa. IPOB’s Media and Publicity Director, Emma Powerful, testified under oath in court: “Simon Ekpa has never held any position in IPOB or ESN. Ekpa himself described himself merely as a content creator, admitted he disowned IPOB, and even boasted he would destroy IPOB.”
The group accused him of creating “contraptions” such as the Biafra Government in Exile and Biafra Liberation Army, insisting these were rejected by IPOB. “This is a brazen fraud against truth and justice. The world must know that Simon Ekpa’s non-membership in IPOB is already judicially settled in Finland,” Powerful said.
IPOB’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, was not surprised by the ruling. He said: “The conviction of Simon Ekpa does not surprise me. His offences, the weakness of his defense, and the inevitable collapse of his fraudulent empire were evident from the start.”
Ejiofor accused Ekpa of defrauding followers: “He built his criminal operation by deceiving followers with false promises of warships, fighter jets, and imminent Biafra independence. His trial was about fraud and funding violence, not self-determination.”
He warned: “Those still glorifying Ekpa are not freedom fighters but exploiters of their people.”
Rate, Like 👍, Comment💬, share this article and Follow us on our social media handles. You can also Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
