A Finnish court has sentenced Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra and member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to six years imprisonment after finding him guilty of terrorism-related offences and tax fraud.

The Päijät-Häme District Court ruled that Ekpa was guilty of inciting public crimes committed with terrorist intent and actively participating in the activities of a terrorist group. He was also convicted of aggravated tax fraud and violating the provisions of the Attorneys Act.

According to the judgment, between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa sought to advance the independence of the Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through illegal means. The court noted that he leveraged social media platforms to gain political influence and spread propaganda.

The verdict further revealed that the movement he led established armed groups, classified by the court as terrorist organisations. Through his network, Ekpa was said to have supplied weapons, explosives, and ammunition to the groups, while also using his X (formerly Twitter) account to urge and incite followers to commit crimes in Nigeria.

Ekpa’s conviction marks a significant development in the ongoing international scrutiny of separatist activities linked to Nigeria’s southeast.