Finnish courtroom reduces Simon Ekpa’s six-year jail time period

A Finnish attraction courtroom has decreased Simon Ekpa’s jail sentence from six years to 4 whereas upholding his conviction on terrorism-related expenses. Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported on Thursday, October 15, that the courtroom upheld findings that the pro-Biafran agitator participated in a terrorist organisation and publicly incited crimes for terrorist functions.

The Päijät-Häme District Court sentenced Ekpa to 6 years in September 2025 after convicting him of terrorism-related offences, aggravated tax fraud and violations of the Lawyers Act. According to Yle, the attraction courtroom decreased the sentence after contemplating the circumstances surrounding his actions. It mentioned circumstances in south-eastern Nigeria’s Biafra area carefully resembled a civil warfare however didn’t meet the definition of 1.

Ekpa argued in the course of the attraction that his involvement within the area’s political turmoil was not motivated by terrorist intent. The prosecutor additionally challenged the unique judgment, arguing that the six-year sentence didn’t adequately replicate the seriousness of the offences.

Thursday’s ruling will not be remaining and stays open to attraction earlier than a better courtroom. The case involved Ekpa’s actions between August 2021 and November 2024. The district courtroom discovered that he used his substantial social media following to gasoline tensions in south-eastern Nigeria as a part of efforts to ascertain an unbiased Biafran state.

It additionally discovered that he provided armed teams with weapons, explosives and ammunition via his contacts and inspired followers on X to commit crimes in Nigeria. Ekpa denied the costs throughout his trial. He was arrested in Finland in November 2024 following investigations into alleged separatist actions.

Ekpa moved from Nigeria to Finland in 2007 and is a long-term resident of Lahti, the place he beforehand served on the town council representing the National Coalition Party. Biafra declared independence from Nigeria in 1967, resulting in a civil warfare that led to 1970 with the collapse of the secessionist bid.