We Did Not Designate IPOB/ESN as Terrorist Organisations – British High Commission

By Adesina Soyooye

The British High Commission in Nigeria has denied designating the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, a terrorist organisation in Britain.

The report of the alleged designation had gone viral with some publications insinuating that the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, could lose his British citizenship.

But in a statement, the British High Commission described the reports as inaccurate, insisting that the United Kingdom never added IPOB to the list of terrorist group banned in the UK,

The Statement which was  signed by the Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer, Tinuke Akande-Alegbe, emphasised that IPOB is not a proscribed organisation in the UK

The inaccurate information, the statement explained, stems from a revised Country Policy And Information Publication released on the 23th of April 2022

The publication noted that the Nigerian Government proscribed IPOB as a terrorists organisation but it also said that some members of IPOB  using violence against the State and members of the public and  so committed human rights abuses will not be granted protection

Said the statement ”all asylum and human rights claims made in the UK are considered in their individual facts in accordance with the obligations under the UN Refugee convention and European convention on human Rights.”

The statement dated May 6, 2022 reads:

“We are aware of inaccurate reporting circulating in the media and online that the UK Government has added the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) to the list of terrorist groups or organisations banned under UK law. These reports are untrue. The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) is not a proscribed organisation in the UK.

“The inaccurate reporting relates to the 13 April 2022 publication by the UK by the UK Government of a revised Country policy and information note (CIPN) on Seperatist group in SE Nigeria including the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). CIPNs provide country of origin information (COI) and analysis of COI for use by UK Government decision-makers handling particular kinds of claims and human rights claims.

“All asylum and human rights claims made in the UK are considered  on their individual facts in accordance with our obligations under the UN Refugee convention and European convention on human Rights, taking into account relevant background country information and case law.

“The CPIN on Separatist groups in the South East including the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), provides a general assessment of risks faced by individuals belonging to those groups. These assessments are based on an analysis of publicly available country information obtained from a wide range of reliable sources including media outlets: UK and other  governments: local, national and international organisations and non-govenment organisations.

“The CPIN also acknowledges that the Nigerian Government has proscribed IPOB as a terrorists organisation. Some members of IPOB have reportedly used violence against the State and members of the public, and advises that persons who have committed human rights abuses must not be granted protection.”