The terrorism trial of Simon Ekpa, a municipal politician from Lahti, commenced on Friday at the Päijät-Häme District Court, where the Finnish prosecutor is seeking a minimum prison sentence of six years.
Ekpa, who is originally from southeastern Nigeria’s Biafra region and has been living in Finland since 2007, is facing multiple terrorism-related charges, including participating in a terrorist group and public incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes.
The case marks the first time in Finnish legal history that such charges have been brought forward under this criminal framework.
According to the prosecution, Ekpa used his public platforms and writings to encourage violent activities linked to the Biafran separatist movement in Nigeria. State Prosecutor Sampsa Hakala stated that Ekpa’s goal was to instill fear among the population in Nigeria’s southeastern region and to unlawfully pressure the Nigerian government into withdrawing security forces from the area.
“We have a lot of evidence of this person’s activities online and his communications,” Hakala told Finland’s public broadcaster Yle before the court session. “It paints a pretty clear picture of what we believe happened.”
In court, the prosecutor further alleged that Ekpa coordinated from Finland, ordering weapons for armed groups operating in Nigeria. These charges include three alternative indictments under varying legal classifications related to terrorist involvement.
Ekpa has denied all charges.
His defense lawyer, Kaarle Gummerus, emphasized that the trial would need to address whether his client had any real involvement in violent activities in Biafra. He also raised concerns about the reliability of information originating from Nigeria.
“The central question is whether my client was in any way involved in, or directing, the acts that occurred in the Biafra region,” Gummerus said, reiterating that Ekpa completely rejects the terrorism allegations.
In addition to the terrorism charges, Ekpa faces accusations of aggravated tax fraud and violations of Finland’s Attorneys Act, which are expected to be heard after the Midsummer holiday.
Friday’s court proceedings included a preliminary hearing in the morning, followed by the presentation of evidence in the afternoon, where the prosecution introduced social media messages Ekpa allegedly posted on platform X (formerly Twitter).
The court has reserved several days for the main hearing.
Ekpa, a former athlete who arrived in Finland in 2007, has also been active in local politics as a member of the National Coalition Party and served on Lahti’s public transport board.
The outcome of the trial could have far-reaching implications, not just for Finnish legal precedent, but also for international cooperation in addressing transnational terrorism and online incitement.
