Finnish Court Reduces Simon Ekpa’s Jail Term

A Finnish Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of Biafran separatist leader Simon Ekpa from six years to four years while upholding his conviction for terrorism-related offences.

Finnish newspaper Yle reported the development on Thursday.

Ekpa was convicted by the Päijät-Häme District Court last year over activities linked to his campaign for an independent Biafran state in southeastern Nigeria.

In its earlier judgment, the district court said Ekpa used his large social media following to escalate tensions in the region between August 2021 and November 2024.

Ekpa appealed the conviction and sentence, asking the court to overturn the judgment. He argued that his actions were not motivated by terrorist intentions and cited the political crisis in the region in his defence.

However, the Court of Appeal upheld his conviction while reducing his sentence after considering the circumstances surrounding the case.

The court noted that the situation in the Biafran region resembled a civil war but did not meet the legal definition of one.

The prosecutor also appealed the original judgment, arguing that the six-year prison sentence was insufficient given the seriousness of Ekpa’s offences.

Despite the prosecution’s appeal, the Court of Appeal reduced Ekpa’s jail term to four years while maintaining his conviction.