Finland appeal court cuts Simon Ekpa’s jail term to four years — Report

Finland's Court of Appeal has reduced pro-Biafran agitator Simon Ekpa's prison sentence from six years to four years while maintaining his conviction on terrorism-related charges, according to a Finnish public broadcaster report. The Court upheld that Ekpa, who moved to Finland from Nigeria in 2007, was guilty of participating in a terrorist organization and publicly inciting crimes for terrorist purposes.

Ekpa's charges stemmed from his alleged activities aimed at re-establishing an independent Biafran state, which existed briefly in the late 1960s. The appeal court took into account the circumstances surrounding Ekpa's actions, noting that the situation in the Biafra region resembled a civil war but did not meet the definition of one.

During the appeal, Ekpa argued that his involvement was not driven by terrorist intent. However, the prosecutor appealed the original judgment, stating that the six-year sentence did not sufficiently reflect the severity of his offenses.

The case relates to Ekpa's activities between August 2021 and November 2024, during which he used his large social media following to fuel tensions in the Biafra region. Ekpa, a long-term resident of Lahti and previously a member of the Finnish city council, is accused of supplying armed groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition, and inciting crimes on X (formerly Twitter).

Ekpa, who denies the charges, was arrested in Finland in November 2024 following investigations into separatist activities linked to the efforts to establish an independent Biafran state. The ruling is not final and can still be appealed to a higher court.