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Finnish court jails Simon Ekpa six years for terrorism offences

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The Päijät-Häme District Court on Monday sentenced Nigerian-born Finnish, Simon Ekpa, to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes and other offences, according to official court documents seen by BBC News Pidgin on Monday.

The 40-year-old former municipal politician from Lahti was convicted on multiple charges, including participation in the activities of a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.

The court ordered that Ekpa remain in custody.

According to the judgment, between August 2021 and November 2024, Ekpa attempted to promote the independence of the so-called Biafra region in southeastern Nigeria through illegal means.

“He used social media to gain a politically influential position and took advantage of the confusion within a key separatist movement in Nigeria to play a significant role in it,” the court statement stated as reported by BBC News pidgin.

Ekpa denied all the charges against him.

The court also found that Ekpa was instrumental in founding and developing the separatist movement into a more organised structure, working alongside others.

It was revealed during the trial that armed groups were established under the movement, which the court classified as terrorist organisations.

“Ekpa equipped the groups with weapons, explosives and ammunition through his contact network. He also urged and enticed his followers on X (formerly Twitter) to commit crimes in Nigeria,” the court said.

The trial was conducted over 12 sessions between May 30 and June 25, 2025, with a panel of three judges unanimously delivering the verdict.

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Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa in December 2024 on charges linked to terrorism.

He was held on probable cause and suspicion of publicly inciting people to commit crimes with terrorist intent.

The alleged offences were said to have occurred between August 23, 2021, and November 2024, primarily in the city of Lahti.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation also initially arrested four other men in connection with the case. However, charges against them were later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Ekpa, who previously served as a municipal councillor in Lahti, is widely known for his controversial role in the Biafran separatist movement.

His online broadcasts and social media activity have drawn both support and condemnation within and outside Nigeria.

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PHOTOS: Court sentences Akwa Ibom pastor to 49 years imprisonment for r@ping and impregnating his teenage daughter

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An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced a pastor, Apostle Williams Okon Bassey, to 49 years imprisonment for r@ping and impregnating his teenage daughter.

Hon. Justice Bassey delivered the judgment on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

Bassey, of Mount Zion Lighthouse Full Gospel Church, Uyo, was arrested at his residence on Ibanga Street on November 7, 2019.

Police paraded him alongside four other men, Nsikan Udo, Iniobong Moses, Saviour Ukpong and Festus Etuk, who were also arrested for r@pe and incest. (See photos of the men and victims attached)

The victim revealed that her father started having s3xual intercourse with her at age 13.

The continuous s3xual assault led her to become pregnant on three different occasions and the pregnancies were aborted by her mother.

She added that her father always demanded s3x from her before paying her school fees or meeting her needs.

Bassey confessed to the crime but claimed the assault started when his daughter was 16.

“I called my daughter to come and scratch my back, as she was scratching my back, I became tipsy, my daughter climbed on top of me and I f3cked her. That was my first time of sleeping with my daughter and she was about 16 years old then,” the pastor confessed.

“I took her to her mother’s place in Eket, after telling her that our daughter was pregnant, I handed her over to the mother who promised to get rid of the pregnancy.

“After the pregnancy was terminated, I continued having s3x with her each time I have misunderstanding with my wife.

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“She became pregnant the second time. I still returned her to the mother who still took her to abort the pregnancy.

“When she returned the second time, I continued the act of s3xing her which resulted in the third pregnancy and the mother still took her for abortion.”

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Police launch manhunt after Nigerian man escapes from prison van in London

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Authorities in the UK are hunting a Nigerian man who escaped from a prison van in southeast London.

Temitope Segun, 25, was last seen in the area of Woolwich High Street at around 6.40pm on Monday after he absconded from a prison transport, the Met Police said.

He was being taken from Bromley Magistrates Court to HMP Thameside when he assaulted a guard and managed to escape, the force said.

Private contractor Serco confirmed it was transporting the prisoner, and said it was “investigating”.

Segun was last seen wearing a black jacket, black trousers and black trainers, and is believed to have links to Plumstead, Abbey Wood and Woolwich.

Detective Sergeant Claudine Manning, who is leading the search, said: “My team of dedicated officers are working around the clock to trace and apprehend Temitope Segun.

“It is imperative that the public contact police via 999 if they see him – or know where he may be.

“He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black trousers and black trainers and has links across south London.”

Police have urged the public not to approach Segun and to report any sightings.

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PHOTOS: Abducted Kebbi Islamic cleric d!es in bandits’ captivity

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A cleric of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah wa Ikamatis-Sunnah (JIBWIS), Alhaji Muhammad Maibarga, has d!ed in bandits’ den.

The Islamic cleric was kidnapped alongside his friend, a former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Koko/ Besse local government area of the state.

A video allegedly released by their abductors showed the late cleric in deteriorating health condition before he was later confirmed d3ad.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed his d3ath to journalists on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

“We are aware of reports concerning the victim’s deteriorating condition and d3ath in captivity,” he said.

A family friend to the late cleric, Usman Aliyu, said efforts were on to secure his release from his abductors, when he d!ed due to his deteriorating health conditions.

The family were making efforts to meet the demands of his abductors.

“They are still looking for money demanded by the bandits so that he could be released to them, but we are devastated by the news of his d3ath in the hands of those that kidnapped him,” Aliyu said.

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