a Finnish citizen of Nigerian origin, "attempted to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in south-eastern Nigeria by illegal means", according to court documents made available to BBC News Pidgin by his lawyer. He also equipped armed groups with weapons and explosives through his network of contacts, the Päijät-Häme District Court ruled, in a unanimous verdict handed down by a panel of three judges. Ekpa, a former councillor in Finland's Lahti city, denied the charges.

Parts of south-eastern Nigeria have been hit by instability for years because of the conflict between a secessionist movement, the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), and the security forces. It is unclear whether Ekpa, who was also convicted of aggravated tax fraud, will appeal against the ruling. The court ruled that he had engaged in illegal activities between August 2021 and November 2024, and had also used social media to incite the public to commit crimes in Nigeria. Ekpa, who had previously said that he led a faction within Ipob, was arrested at his home in Finland in February 2023.In 2022, a BBC investigation identified him as one of the "media warriors" of Ipob, who were allegedly using social media to call for violence. He did not respond to BBC requests for comment at the time. (BBC)