The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reaffirmed the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization.
In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel led by Justice Hamma Barka, the appellate court upheld the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Court: FG acted lawfully
The court stated that it found no reason to overturn the order obtained by the Federal Government against the group, as reported by The Cable.
According to the court, the federal government “acted lawfully” in proscribing the organization, whose activities “threatened the nation’s security and continued existence.”
All issues raised against the IPOB were resolved against them, and their appeal was dismissed for lack of merit, Vanguard reported.
IPOB: Background of the proscription
The late former Chief Judge of the federal high court, Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati, initially outlawed IPOB’s activities in Nigeria on September 15, 2017.
This proscription order followed an ex-parte motion filed by the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, on behalf of the federal government.
Justice Kafarati declared all activities of the group, particularly in the South-east and South-south regions, as illegal, and restrained any person or group from participating in them.
He also directed the AGF to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national dailies.
IPOB’s challenges and appeals
On January 22, 2018, the court dismissed a motion filed by IPOB challenging the legal validity of the proscription order, which it claimed was obtained surreptitiously by the AGF.
Dissatisfied with these decisions, IPOB approached the appellate court.
They alleged that the then AGF “suppressed and misrepresented facts” in his affidavit evidence, and maintained that the proscription order was tantamount to declaring over 30 million Nigerians of Igbo extraction as terrorists.
The Court of Appeal rejected these arguments and upheld the proscription.
Nnamdi Kanu: High Court rejects IPOB leader’s bail request
Previously, Legit.ng reported that the federal high court, Abuja, on Monday, May 20, dismissed a fresh application the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, filed to be released on bail.
The court took the decision pending the determination of the treasonable felony charge the federal government preferred against Kanu.