The Federal Government on Monday hinted that it may seek the repatriation of separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, to Nigeria following his conviction and six-year sentence by a Finnish court for terrorism-related offences.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland sentenced the Nigerian-born Finnish citizen to six years in prison after finding him guilty of multiple charges, including participation in a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
The 40-year-old, a former municipal politician from Lahti, was ordered to remain in custody.
According to the judgment, between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa pushed for the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through illegal means.
“He used social media to gain a politically influential position and took advantage of the confusion within a key separatist movement in Nigeria to play a significant role in it,” the court said, as quoted by BBC News Pidgin.
The court further revealed that Ekpa was central to the founding and structuring of armed separatist groups, which it classified as terrorist organisations.
“Ekpa equipped the groups with weapons, explosives and ammunition through his contact network. He also urged and enticed his followers on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria,” the court ruled.
The trial spanned 12 sessions between May 30 and June 25, 2025, with a panel of three judges unanimously delivering the verdict. Ekpa, however, denied all the charges.
Reacting to the development, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, suggested that Abuja may push for Ekpa’s return.
When asked if the Federal Government would request his repatriation at the end of his sentence, Idris told Punch, “The Nigerian government will assess the situation and take decisions in the best interest of the country.”
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