The Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland on Monday sentenced Nigerian-born Finnish politician, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences.

Court documents seen by BBC News Pidgin show that Ekpa, 40, was convicted of participating in the activities of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.

The judgment stated that between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa used social media to push for 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 confusion within a separatist movement in Nigeria to play a significant role in it,” the court said.

According to the verdict, armed groups established under the movement were classified as terrorist organisations, with Ekpa allegedly facilitating the supply of weapons, explosives, and ammunition. The court also held that he encouraged his followers on X (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria.

The trial, which ran across 12 sessions between May 30 and June 25, 2025, was decided unanimously by a three-judge panel. Ekpa, who denied all charges, will remain in custody.

He was arrested in December 2024 on suspicion of inciting crimes with terrorist intent. Finnish police initially detained four others in connection with the case, but charges against them were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Ekpa, a former municipal councillor in Lahti, is widely known for his controversial role in the Biafran separatist movement through frequent online broadcasts and social media activity.