The Federal Government has described the six-year jail sentence handed to Simon Ekpa by a Finnish court as a significant step forward in the fight against terrorism.
Ekpa was on Monday convicted by the Päijät-Häme District Court on multiple charges, including membership of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
Reacting on his official X account on Monday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the ruling as “a major victory for the Nigerian people in the collective fight against terror.”
He posted, “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. A major victory for the Nigerian people in the collective fight against terror.”
The district court, sitting with a three-judge panel, delivered a unanimous verdict after hearings that ran from May 30 to June 25, 2025.
READ ALSO: Finland Jails Simon Ekpa for Six Years Over Terrorism Charges
The judges found that Ekpa, an influential member of a militant separatist movement seeking secession for a Biafran state, supplied fighters with “weapons, explosives and ammunition” via contacts in the region and encouraged followers on X (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria.
The court also found that Ekpa was instrumental in founding and developing the separatist movement into a more organised structure, working alongside others.
Ekpa denied all the charges against him.
The court ordered that he remain in custody.
However, the district court’s verdict is not final, as it can be appealed to a higher court.
Ekpa was arrested in December 2024 after Finnish authorities accused him of spreading separatist propaganda and inciting violence through social media.