The Federal Government on Monday, 1 September, 2025 welcomed the conviction and six-year jail sentence handed to Nigerian-born Finnish, Simon Ekpa by a Finnish court, describing it the ruling as “a major victory for the Nigerian people in the collective fight against terror.”
BusinessTodayNG reported that Päijät-Häme District Court found Ekpa guilty of a string of offences, including participation in a terrorist group, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud and breaches of the Lawyers Act.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, reacting on his official X account on Monday, said, “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 Federal Government described the ruling as a watershed moment – not only for the countless innocent Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods have been brutally disrupted by the reign of terror incited and financed by Ekpa and his collaborators—but also for the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and Finland.
“For years, Ekpa’s reckless incitement and orchestration of violence through IPOB terror activities unleashed unspeakable pain: families shattered, businesses destroyed, children orphaned, and entire communities forced to live under fear.
“Hundreds of lives were lost, and many more maimed, in pursuit of a destructive and unlawful agenda that sought to undermine the peace, unity, and sovereignty of our nation.
“By upholding the rule of law and ensuring that justice is served, the Finnish judiciary has not only vindicated Nigeria’s consistent position on this matter but also sent a clear signal to extremists everywhere that the world is watching, and justice will catch up with those who seek to destabilize societies through terror,” the Minister said.
Idris said the Tinubu administration remains unshakable in its resolve to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty and protect the dignity of every citizen. We will continue to mobilize every resource, diplomatic, military, and judicial, to preserve the peace, unity, and territorial integrity of our country.
“We urge all those who, under the misguidance of Simon Ekpa and others, have taken up arms against their fatherland to immediately lay them down and embrace the path of peace. Nigeria is big enough for all its people, but there can be no progress where violence and division prevail.
“The Federal Government also extends its profound gratitude to the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the security and intelligence agencies, and the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Nigeria Police, whose sacrifices, courage, and commitment continue to secure our homeland in the face of daunting challenges. Their service and the resilience of the Nigerian people remain the backbone of our enduring unity.
“As we mark this turning point, the Federal Government enjoins all Nigerians, at home and abroad, to work together for national unity, peace, and security of the country,” the statement said.
The district court, sitting with a three-judge panel, delivered a unanimous verdict after hearings that ran from May 30 to June 25, 2025.
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.
