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Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian separatist leader, appeared before the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland on Friday, May 30, as the Finnish government formally commenced his terrorism trial.
Ekpa was arrested in November 2024 by Finnish authorities on suspicion of terrorism-related offenses, including incitement to violence and financing terrorism.
Prosecutors allege that Ekpa used social media platforms to incite violence and create unrest in southeastern Nigeria, as part of his ongoing campaign for the secession of the region under the banner of Biafra.
According to state prosecutor Sampsa Hakala, the government is seeking a six-year prison sentence, asserting that Ekpa’s actions may constitute terrorism under Finnish law. “We have a great deal of evidence regarding this individual’s online activity and communications,” Hakala stated.
During interrogations, Ekpa denied the allegations, including claims that he ordered weapons for pro-Biafra groups.
Ekpa, a dual Finnish-Nigerian citizen, is affiliated with a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist movement advocating for the independence of Nigeria’s southeast. The region previously suffered a brutal civil war from 1967 to 1970 over similar secessionist aspirations.
In addition to his activism, Ekpa has been involved in local politics in Finland. He previously served as a representative of the conservative National Coalition Party in Lahti, where he was a member of the city’s public transport committee.
