Simon Ekpa, the self-proclaimed leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been sentenced to prison in Finland. The district court of Päijät-Häme convicted Ekpa for spreading “terrorist propaganda” on social media, according to reports by the BBC.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) revealed that Ekpa’s crime occurred in 2021 in the Lahti municipality. Alongside him, four other individuals were arrested over alleged terrorist offenses.

Dual Citizenship and Controversial Leadership

Ekpa, who holds dual citizenship in Finland and Nigeria, assumed a leadership role within IPOB after Nnamdi Kanu’s imprisonment. Finnish authorities accuse him of using social media platforms to incite violence in southeastern Nigeria.

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Detective Chief Inspector Otto Hiltunen from the NBI stated that Ekpa’s activities and rhetoric have fueled unrest in the region. “He carries out these activities from his social media channels, for example,” Hiltunen noted.

Past Arrests and Provocative Actions

Ekpa is no stranger to controversy. In February 2023, he was briefly detained by Finnish police at his Lahti residence. Following his release, Ekpa continued to use social media to urge the Igbo population to boycott Nigeria’s 2023 general election.

In a defiant move in September 2021, Ekpa publicly denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he earned for the country during the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.

The case underscores growing international attention to the activities of separatist groups and the role of social media in propagating violence and unrest.