A Finnish court has convicted Simon Ekpa, a Finnish citizen of Nigerian origin, for attempting to promote the independence of Nigeria’s Biafra region through illegal means. Ekpa, who leads the banned Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), was found guilty of inciting violence and equipping armed groups with weapons and explosives. IPOB has been linked to numerous killings and abductions in southeastern Nigeria, a region that briefly declared independence in the late 1960s before a brutal three-year civil war claimed over a million lives, largely due to combat, starvation, and inadequate medical care.
The unanimous verdict, delivered on Monday by a panel of three judges, stated that Ekpa used his extensive social media influence to inflame tensions in the Biafra region between August 2021 and November 2024. The court determined that although the alleged crimes occurred in Nigeria, Ekpa orchestrated them from Lahti, Finland—where he has lived since 2007 after relocating as an athlete—giving the Finnish court jurisdiction over the case. Ekpa, who once served as a local councillor in Lahti, has denied all charges.
In addition to the charges related to Biafra, the district court also found Ekpa guilty of aggravated tax fraud. While the court’s ruling marks a significant legal development, it remains unclear whether Ekpa intends to challenge the decision in a higher court. The case has drawn international attention due to its cross-border implications and the enduring sensitivity surrounding the Biafra conflict.