He Committed Heinous Crimes Against Nigerians – Fagbemi Reacts To Ekpa’s Conviction

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Monday, September 1, applauded the conviction of Nigerian-born separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, by a Finnish court, describing it as proof of his involvement in violent crimes across Nigeria’s South-East.

In a statement, Fagbemi welcomed the six-year prison term handed down to Ekpa by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland, noting that it validated Nigeria’s long-held position that the self-styled leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) actively contributed to insecurity in the region.

“We welcome the good news of Simon Ekpa’s conviction by the Finnish court. His sentencing for terrorism and related offences confirms his complicity in committing heinous crimes against Nigerians, particularly in the South-East,” the AGF said.

He commended Finnish authorities for their cooperation and described the ruling as a milestone in global efforts against transnational crimes. “This judgment signals future partnership, and we will take necessary steps after reviewing the court’s decision,” he added.

The court found Ekpa, 40, guilty of inciting terrorism and aiding the operations of a terrorist organization. It revealed that he exploited his “large social media following” to incite violence in Nigeria’s South-East between August 2021 and November 2024.

In its unanimous decision, the three-member panel of judges identified Ekpa as a key figure in the militant separatist movement pushing for Biafra’s secession. The court also determined that he supplied armed groups with “weapons, explosives, and ammunition” through his contacts and urged his followers on X (formerly Twitter) to “carry out crimes” in Nigeria.

Ekpa, a longtime resident of Lahti and a former local councillor, was adjudged guilty of committing the crimes from Finland, thereby placing the case within the Finnish court’s jurisdiction.