Appeal Court affirms IPOB as terrorist group

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed the proscription order placed on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation. A three-member panel of justices of the appellate court presided by Justice Hamma Barka on Thursday rejected IPOB’s appeal and upheld the ban placed on the group. Earlier, the counsel to […]

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed the proscription order placed on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation.

A three-member panel of justices of the appellate court presided by Justice Hamma Barka on Thursday rejected IPOB’s appeal and upheld the ban placed on the group.

Earlier, the counsel to the IPOB, Chukwuma Machukwu-Ume (SAN) had requested the panel to overturn the judgment of a Federal High Court presided by Justice Abdu Kafarati in September 2017, endorsing the proscription and gazetting of the group as a terrorist organisation.

However, a counsel from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Oyilade Koleosho, asked the appellate court to dismiss the appeal for lacking in merit.

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Delivering the ruling, the panel held that it found no reason to set aside the federal government’s ban and gazetting of the group.

The IPOB group was proscribed following activities of violence in the South-east region which included attacks on security facilities and killing of operatives. The group also unleashed mayhem on residents of the area, causing many to remain indoors on several occasions.

According to the court, the federal government acted lawfully by proscribing the organisation whose activities threatened the nation’s security and continued existence.

It resolved all the issues against the IPOB and dismissed its appeal for want of merit.

Lawyers react

Reacting to the judgement, Machukwu-Ume said the matter deserves to be appealed against for the benefit of the public. “We are certainly appealing as the matter is of public importance,” he said.

Similarly, the lead counsel to Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor Esq, said, “We shall definitely proceed to the Supreme Court”.

In his response, Dayo Akinlaja (SAN) said the latest judgment implies that the group remains proscribed and its membership lacks legitimacy at the moment.