The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland has sentenced Nigerian-born Finnish citizen, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences and other crimes.

According to official court documents seen by BBC News Pidgin on Monday, the 40-year-old former municipal councillor from Lahti was found guilty of multiple charges, including participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.

The court ordered that Ekpa remain in custody.

Between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa sought to advance the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through unlawful means. “He used social media to gain a politically influential position and took advantage of the confusion within a key separatist movement in Nigeria to play a significant role in it,” the court statement said, as reported by BBC News Pidgin.

During the hearings, the court found that armed groups linked to the movement were established and classified them as terrorist organisations. Judges also determined that Ekpa played a central role in shaping the movement’s structure. “Ekpa equipped the groups with weapons, explosives and ammunition through his contact network. He also urged and enticed his followers on X (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria,” the ruling noted.

Ekpa denied all charges.

The trial, conducted over 12 sessions between May 30 and June 25, 2025, ended with a unanimous verdict from a panel of three judges.

Finnish authorities had first arrested Ekpa in December 2024 on suspicion of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent. Although four other men were also detained during the investigation, charges against them were later dropped for lack of evidence.

Ekpa, who once served as a municipal councillor in Lahti, rose to prominence through his controversial involvement in the Biafran separatist movement. His online broadcasts and social media posts have attracted both support and criticism within and beyond Nigeria.