Nigeria’s federal government has signalled it may seek the repatriation of Simon Ekpa after the Nigerian-born Finnish citizen was sentenced to six years in prison by a Finnish court for terrorism-related crimes.
The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland on Monday convicted the 40-year-old former municipal politician from Lahti of multiple offences, including participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and breaches of the Lawyers Act.
Judges ruled that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa sought to advance the independence of Biafra, a separatist region in south-east Nigeria, through violent and unlawful means. According to the court, he exploited divisions within the wider movement, built an influential profile on social media, and coordinated armed groups later classified as terrorist organisations.
The court found that Ekpa, who denied the charges, had provided weapons and explosives through his network of contacts while using platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) to urge supporters to commit crimes in Nigeria.
Following the verdict, Nigeria’s information minister, Mohammed Idris, suggested Abuja could move to secure his extradition. “The Nigerian government will assess the situation and take decisions in the best interest of the country,” he told The Punch.
The attorney general, Lateef Fagbemi, praised the Finnish ruling and said, “Further steps will be taken once the judgment has been officially reviewed.” In a separate statement, the government hailed the conviction as a “watershed moment” for the fight against extremism and a boost for Nigeria-Finland relations.
The chief of defence staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, called the outcome “a landmark victory in the global effort to combat terrorism and violent extremism,” while stressing that those who incite or bankroll violence would be held accountable “regardless of their location.”
The case has exposed deep divisions among separatists. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) – led by the detained activist Nnamdi Kanu – sought to distance itself from Ekpa, saying he had never held a position within its structures. IPOB accused him of setting up splinter outfits such as the “Biafra Liberation Army” and “Biafra Government in Exile”, describing them as dangerous contraptions aimed at discrediting its “lawful” campaign for self-determination.
Separatist lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor welcomed the conviction, branding Ekpa a “fraudulent impostor” who misled followers with false promises of Biafra independence while fuelling violence in the region.
South-east youth groups also urged calm, saying the verdict should be an opportunity to restore peace and security rather than inflame political tensions.
Nigeria’s government, meanwhile, used the ruling to appeal directly to armed groups to lay down their weapons. “Nigeria is big enough for all its people, but there can be no progress where violence and division prevail,” Idris said.
