A viral post claiming that a Finnish court has approved the extradition of Simon Ekpa, the controversial Biafra separatist, to Nigeria, has been debunked as false.
..., which spread across social media platforms such as đť•Ź (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok, was accompanied by an AI-generated image of Ekpa in what appeared to be a prison uniform.
According to ..., the judgment was purportedly delivered by the Päijät-Häme district court in Lahti on April 18, 2025. The story was widely shared by popular blog sites like Instabloggja and Nigerian Stories, with the headline: “Finnish Court Approves Simon Ekpa’s Extradition to Nigeria.”
The misinformation was further amplified when former presidential aide, Reno Omokri referenced the viral post on his đť•Ź account, and Daily Times, a national newspaper with a following of over one million, featured the fake news on its front page.
The newspaper’s Wednesday edition displayed the AI-generated image of Ekpa in prison attire, positioning the false claim as the cover story.
Background On Ekpa’s Legal Troubles
Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian dual citizen, was arrested in Finland on November 21, 2024, over alleged terrorism charges.
The Päijät-Häme district court subsequently imprisoned him for “spreading terrorist propaganda” on social media, an offence he reportedly committed in 2021 while residing in Lahti. Ekpa is accused of inciting violence and terror in Nigeria’s southeast through his social media platforms.
Before his arrest, Ekpa was active on social media, particularly on đť•Ź, where he allegedly encouraged violent actions against security forces and public institutions in Nigeria.
Nigerian authorities have been seeking Ekpa’s extradition for prosecution, although no formal request has been made public.
Despite the speculation around his extradition, Ekpa remains in custody in Finland. The senior detective superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Mikko Laaksonen, previously stated that charges against Ekpa are expected to be filed in May 2025, and he would remain in custody until his trial, as the offence is considered non-bailable.
Ekpa’s new lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, confirmed that Ekpa is scheduled to appear in court in June 2025 to face trial.
CableCheck, a fact-checking organisation, conducted searches on reputable Finnish sources, including Yle, a national broadcasting organisation, and the Päijät Häme district court. No credible information was found to support the claim of a Finnish court approving Ekpa’s extradition.
Further inquiries were made with Ekpa’s lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, who denied any court decision regarding the extradition. “I can confirm to you that no decision has been taken in Finland. I have no information on the matter, so no such decision could have been taken,” Gummerus stated.
Mikko Laaksonen, from the NBI, also clarified that the agency had received similar reports, but there was no knowledge of any extradition decision.
“NBI has received similar information from different sources. However, NBI is not aware of any decisions regarding extradition related to the investigation in question,” Laaksonen explained.
The claim that a Finnish court has ordered the extradition of Simon Ekpa to Nigeria is categorically false.