Just In: Tinubu's Govt Reacts as Finnish Court Finally Sentences Simon Ekpa to Prison

Abuja, Nigeria – The Bola Tinubu administration has hailed the judgment of the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland, which on Monday, September 1, sentenced Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafra agitator and self-styled factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to six years in prison for terrorism offences.

In a statement released by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and obtained by Legit.ng, the federal government described the verdict as a “watershed moment”.

“Justice Has Been Served” – FG

The government noted that Ekpa’s conviction represents justice for thousands of innocent Nigerians who, it said, had suffered due to his incitement and financing of violent activities in southeastern Nigeria.

The statement read in part:

“For years, Ekpa’s reckless incitement and orchestration of violence through IPOB terror activities unleashed unspeakable pain: families shattered, businesses destroyed, children orphaned, and entire communities forced to live under fear. Hundreds of lives were lost, and many more crippled, in pursuit of a destructive and unlawful agenda that sought to undermine the peace, unity, and sovereignty of our nation.”

The Tinubu administration praised the Finnish judiciary for upholding the rule of law, insisting that the ruling “vindicates Nigeria’s consistent position” and sends a strong warning to extremists that “justice will eventually catch up with them.”

Call for Peace

The federal government used the opportunity to call on those still influenced by Ekpa’s ideology to lay down their arms and embrace peace.

“Nigeria is big enough for all its people, but there can be no progress where violence and division prevail,” the statement added.

Idris also stressed that the government remains “unshakable in its resolve to defend Nigeria’s sovereignty and protect the dignity of every citizen”, vowing to continue using diplomatic, military, and judicial means to safeguard national unity.

Extradition Plans Underway

Meanwhile, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclosed that Nigeria is in discussions with Finnish authorities regarding the possible extradition of Ekpa.

He explained that Ekpa must first face legal consequences in Finland for offences committed there before being brought back to Nigeria to answer for alleged crimes against the country’s national security.

Minister Reacts on Social Media

In a separate post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Minister Idris described Ekpa’s conviction as “a major victory for the Nigerian people in the collective fight against terror.”