CDS Hails Finnish Court’s Six-Year Sentence On Simon Ekpa As Victory Against Terrorism

THE Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has hailed Monday, September 1 judgment of a Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland sentencing pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences, saying it is victory against terrorism.
According to a Finnish newspaper, Yle, the court, in a ruling delivered on Monday, found Ekpa guilty of inciting terrorism and participating in the activities of a terrorist group, saying he had used his “significant social media following” to stoke tensions in the Southeast region between August 2021 and November 2024.
The court, the newspaper reported, also convicted Ekpa of aggravated tax fraud.
The three-member panel of Judges, in a unanimous ruling, also stated that Ekpa was an influential member of a militant separatist movement whose goal was to actualise the secession of a Biafran state from Nigeria.
It further held that Ekpa supplied these groups with “weapons, explosives, and ammunition” through his network of contacts in the region.
He was also found to have encouraged his followers on the social media platform, X, to “commit crimes” in Nigeria.
A long-term resident of Lahti and one-time local councillor, Ekpa reportedly committed the crimes from the Finnish city, according to the verdict, giving the Finnish court jurisdiction in the case.
Ekpa, however, denied all the charges in court, and the ruling is not final, as Ekpa, who relocated to Finland in 2007 as an athlete, could challenge it at a higher court.
The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation also initially arrested four other men in connection with the case, but dropped charges against them due to insufficient evidence.
Reacting to the judgment in a statement signed by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Tukur Gusau, the CDS described it as a landmark victory in the global effort to combat terrorism and violent extremism, adding that Ekpa’s conviction underscores a fundamental principle of international law, which holds that those who incite violence and finance terrorism will be held accountable, no matter their location.
He stated: “This judgment sends a strong message that there is no safe haven for individuals or groups who sponsor or encourage acts of terror against Nigeria or any other sovereign state.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria commend the Finnish authorities for their diligence in ensuring justice is served.”
Musa expressed appreciation to Nigerian security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and diplomats for their painstaking efforts and collaboration, which provided actionable evidence leading to Ekpa’s conviction, noting that the outcome is a testament to the effectiveness of international cooperation in addressing transnational threats.
The defence chief reiterated the Armed Forces’ determination to continue working closely with global partners to dismantle terrorist networks and safeguard peace and security across Nigeria.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and to support the security agencies in the ongoing fight against insurgency, banditary and violent separatist movements across the country.
Ekpa is a self-acclaimed disciple of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Following Kanu’s rendition to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021, Ekpa, who also holds Finnish citizenship and previously served as a municipal councillor in Lahti, was appointed as the lead broadcaster of Radio Biafra.
However, IPOB announced his dismissal weeks later, citing his refusal to sign the rules of engagement of Radio Biafra, a development that strained his relationship with the organisation, which disowned him and his activities.
Ekpa, along with the Finland-based lawyer, went ahead to form a splinter secessionist group.