Ekpa denied all charges, but the court’s verdict is not final and can be appealed to a higher court
Simon Ekpa, a former Lahti city councillor in Finland, was sentenced to six years in prison by the Päijät-Häme District Court in September 2025.
He was found guilty of several charges, including:
Terrorism-related offenses: Between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa used his significant social media following to incite violence and support armed separatist groups in Nigeria’s southeastern region. He was also found to have supplied these groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition through his network. (yle.fi)
Aggravated tax fraud: Ekpa was convicted of failing to report income from his video production company, Freedom Stream Oy, and his law practice, Ekpa & Co Oy, totalling €67,814. He was ordered to pay €29,549 to the state. (en.wikipedia.org)
Unauthorised legal practice: The court found that Ekpa violated Finland’s Lawyers Act by providing legal services without proper authorization. (yle.fi) Ekpa denied all charges, but the court’s verdict is not final and can be appealed to a higher court. (yle.fi)
Who is Simon Ekpa?
Simon Ekpa is a Finnish politician and Nigerian separatist leader born on March 21, 1985, in Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. He moved to Finland in 2007, where he became a Finnish citizen and engaged in local politics, including serving as Chairman of the Igbo Union Finland from 2015 to 2019. In 2022, Ekpa declared the activation of the Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE) and, in 2023, appointed himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), aiming for the independence of the Biafra region from Nigeria. (en.wikipedia.org)
His activities have attracted significant attention. In 2024, the Nigerian military declared him wanted on charges of terrorism, and the Nigerian government sought his extradition following his arrest in Finland. In September 2025, a Finnish court sentenced Ekpa to six years in prison for terrorism-related offenses, tax fraud, and an ethical violation. (apnews.com)
