The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed terrorism charges against seven alleged commanders of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), accused of being linked to the jailed Finland-based separatist, Simon Ekpa.
The charges were instituted in three separate suits, FHC/ABJ/CR/632/2025, FHC/ABJ/CR/633/2025, and FHC/ABJ/CR/634/2025, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
DSS Deputy Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Favour Dozie, confirmed the development in a statement issued to journalists on Thursday.
Ekpa, a 40-year-old Nigerian-born Finnish national and former municipal politician from Lahti, was convicted in Finland on September 1, 2025, and sentenced to six years in prison for terrorism-related offences, including participation in a terrorist organisation, incitement to commit terrorism, aggravated tax fraud, and violations of the Lawyers Act.
According to Dozie, the seven suspects in Nigeria are accused of receiving funds and other support from Ekpa and foreign-based IPOB members to facilitate the group’s activities in the South-East.
One of the accused, Ibrahim Ali Larabo, described as an illegal immigrant from Niger, allegedly ran an unlicensed Bureau De Change, providing financial services for the Ekpa-led faction, including receiving and disbursing large sums to fund IPOB operations.
“The suspects were established to function as IPOB commanders, arms couriers, arms dealers, Eastern Security Network fighters, and foot soldiers, all directed and funded by Simon Ekpa,” the DSS statement said.
In addition to the Ekpa-linked cases, Dozie reported that the DSS recently secured the conviction of a terrorist known as Ismaila (aka Mai Tangaran), who coordinated the 2012 attacks on the Police Headquarters in Bompai, Kano, and other locations.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced him to 15 years on one count and 20 years on three others, to run concurrently, concluding a trial that began in 2017.
Dozie also noted that trials for two internationally wanted suspects, Mahmud Muhammad Usman (Mamuda) and Abubakar Abba (Abu Baara), are set to resume on January 15, 2026, while the prosecution of Khalid Al-Barnawi, accused of masterminding the UN complex bombing on August 26, 2011, continues.
“Barnawi and four others are being tried for the attack, alongside five additional suspects arraigned on a nine-count charge for the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State,” Dozie added.
