- The Federal Government has hailed the six-year prison sentence given to pro-Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa by a Finnish court for inciting terrorism.
- Minister of Information Mohammed Idris described the ruling as a major victory in Nigeria’s fight against terror.
- Ekpa, linked to IPOB’s sit-at-home orders, was arrested in Finland in 2024 and later named a terrorism financier by the Nigerian government.
The Federal Government has welcomed the six-year prison sentence handed to pro-Biafra agitator Simon Ekpa by a Finnish court for inciting terrorism and collaborating with a terrorist group.
The Päijät-Häme District Court ruled that Ekpa exploited his large social media following to fuel violence in Nigeria’s South-East between August 2021 and November 2024.
Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, described the conviction as “a major victory in the war against terror.”
Ekpa, a self-styled disciple of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, played a key role in the deadly sit-at-home orders in the region. He was arrested in Finland in November 2024 and later declared a terrorism financier by the Nigerian government.
Full statement by the FG read …
“The Federal Government welcomes the landmark judgment of the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland, which on Monday sentenced Simon Ekpa, a self-styled pro-Biafra agitator, to six years’ imprisonment for terrorism offences.
This ruling stands 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 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.”
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