The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Monday, distanced itself from the conviction of the self-acclaimed leader of the “Biafra Government in Exile”, Simon Ekpa, in Finland.

This is as the group warned against linking IPOB to Ekpa and insisted he has no ties with the group’s detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

New Telegraph had earlier reported that the Päijät-Häme District Court on Monday sentenced Ekpa to six years in prison for terrorism-related crimes and other offences.

According to a statement issued by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the move to associate Ekpa with the group was a ploy by the Nigerian government to compromise Kanu’s trial.

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The group alleged that authorities were using Ekpa’s case to influence the ruling on Kanu’s no-case submission, scheduled for October 10, 2025, describing the delay in judgment as “judicial hostage-taking.”

It called on the European Union, Finland, the UK, the US, and the United Nations to intervene, stressing that IPOB remained a peaceful movement pursuing self-determination under international law.

“The world must know that Simon Ekpa has never held any position in IPOB or ESN.

“He created his own contraptions, such as the so-called ‘Biafra Government in Exile’ and ‘Biafra Liberation Army,’ which IPOB has long repudiated,” the statement read.