Pro-Biafra separatist campaigner Simon Ekpa is facing a fresh legal battle in Finland after both he and the Finnish prosecution appealed his six-year prison sentence for terrorism-related offences.
While Ekpa is challenging the sentence imposed on him, the Finnish prosecutor handling the case is seeking a longer prison term, arguing that the punishment handed down by the lower court was inadequate for the offences committed.
The Finnish Court of Appeal is expected to hear the case within the next three weeks, according to BBC Pidgin.
Ekpa was sentenced in September 2025 by the Päijät-Häme District Court after being found guilty of inciting terrorism and participating in the activities of a terrorist group.
The court found that he had exploited his significant social media following to escalate tensions in Nigeria’s South-East between August 2021 and November 2024.
It also described him as an influential member of a militant separatist movement seeking to establish an independent Biafra state in Nigeria.
According to the court’s findings, Ekpa used his network of contacts to supply some groups in the region with weapons, explosives and ammunition. He was also found to have encouraged followers on X, formerly Twitter, to commit crimes in Nigeria.
Beyond the terrorism-related convictions, Ekpa was found guilty of aggravated tax fraud and violating provisions of Finland’s Attorneys Act.
His legal troubles in Finland began in November 2024, when Finnish authorities arrested him and subsequently brought charges against him over his alleged activities.
Ekpa has consistently associated himself with the Biafra separatist cause and has described himself as a disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
His case has also attracted attention from Nigerian authorities. In March 2025, the Federal Government designated Ekpa a “terrorism financier.”
The pending appeals could now alter the outcome of the case. Ekpa’s challenge gives him an opportunity to contest the six-year sentence, while the prosecution’s appeal puts the possibility of a longer prison term before the appellate court.
The Court of Appeal’s decision will therefore determine whether Ekpa’s punishment is reduced, maintained or increased as the Finnish judicial process moves into its next stage.
