LAGOS, Nigeria – A Finnish district court has sentenced Simon Ekpa, leader of the self-styled Indigenous People of Biafra Government in Exile, to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes.
Ekpa, arrested on 21 November 2024 by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), was found guilty of inciting crimes with terrorist intent between August 2021 and November 2024. His assets and those of associates were also frozen.
In a separate development, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, welcomed the Päijät-Häme District Court ruling, describing it as a “landmark judgment in the global fight against terrorism.”
“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,” Musa said in a statement by Defence spokesperson Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.
Musa praised Nigerian security, intelligence, and diplomatic agencies for providing evidence that secured the conviction. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation against terrorism, urging citizens to remain vigilant.
