Terrorism: Ekpa loses appeal, Finland court slashes sentence

A Finnish Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of pro-Biafran activist Simon Ekpa from six years to four years while maintaining his conviction on terrorism-related charges. The appeal court upheld the decision made by the Päijät-Häme District Court, which found Ekpa guilty of joining a terrorist organization and publicly inciting crimes for terrorist purposes.

Ekpa, a Nigerian national who moved to Finland in 2007, was previously sentenced to six years in prison in September 2025 for terrorism-related offenses and other crimes. The charges stemmed from his alleged activities aimed at establishing an independent state in the Biafra region of southeastern Nigeria, a region that declared independence in 1967 but was later defeated in a civil war that lasted until 1970.

During the appeal, Ekpa argued that his involvement in the region's political conflicts was not driven by terrorist intent. The prosecutor appealed the original judgment, stating that the six-year prison term did not adequately reflect the gravity of his offenses. However, the ruling is not yet final and can still be appealed to a higher court.