The Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB is a terrorist organisation, the Court of Appeal has declared.
The appellate court decision comes more than seven years after the lower court, a federal high court in Abuja, the nation’s capital presided over by Justice Abdu Kafarati designated IPOB as a terrorist organisation.
The federal government had gone ahead to gazette IPOB as terrorist organisation following the court verdict.
The court of Appeal decision, which was made on Thursday also comes after IPOB’ strongman, Kanu sued the Nigerian Police Force, NPF, for describing IPOB as a terrorist group.
The IPOB leader had sued the Police for N20 billion, apart from a public apology from the NPF spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi.
According to the panel of justices which ruled on the issue yesterday, IPOB activities pose a serious threat to the corporate existence of the country and her citizens.
The court of Appeal decision was unanimous as there was not dissent among the judges.
The magazines reports that IPOB activities in Nigeria’s south east, which include the killings of citizens and security agents and wanton destruction of property have posed a serious threat to the region.
Kanu said the secessionist group is non-violent and should not have been designated as a terrorist organisation, citing a court judgment on the issue.
According to a suit filed this week by Kanu against the police, the IPOB leader said those claiming that his group is responsible for the killing and violence in the south east should present evidence to back up their claims.
The law suit was filed by Kanu’s counsel Aloy Ejimakor.
The IPOB leader stated that the 2022 designation of the group as a terrorist orgainsation by the federal government has been declared null and void and against the Constitution by a court of competent jurisdiction.
He denied police claim that some criminals apprehended by the security agencies in Okigwe, Imo state recently were members of IPOB, adding that IPOB has been targeted by the federal government because it’s an Igbo group.
Kanu said, “For avoidance of doubt, a competent high court had held in October 2022 that the Federal Government breached the Constitution in labeling IPOB a terrorist group and that the group was discriminatorily targeted because its membership is populated by the Igbo.
“Thus, to keep tagging every criminal encountered in Southeast as IPOB exhibits a false narrative that defames not only Nnamdi Kanu but the entire Igbo.”
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