Appeal Court Upholds IPOB’s Proscription as a Terrorist Group

The Court of Appeal has reaffirmed the order declaring the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a terrorist organization. 

The Abuja Court of Appeal has upheld the designation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization.

In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel headed by Justice Hamma Barka confirmed the Federal High Court in Abuja’s ruling that banned the IPOB.

The court determined that there was no justification to overturn the order obtained by the Federal Government against the group.

The court ruled that the federal government acted within the law by banning the organization, as its activities posed a threat to national security and ongoing stability.

It addressed all the issues against IPOB and rejected its appeal due to a lack of merit.

In a ruling delivered on September 15, 2017, the late Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati, who was formerly the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, prohibited IPOB activities in Nigeria.

The ban was enforced after an ex-parte motion submitted by Mr. Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, on behalf of the Federal Government.

Justice Kafafati specifically ruled that all activities of the group, especially in the South-east and South-South regions of the country, were illegal.

He additionally prohibited “any individual or group from taking part in the organization’s activities.”

The Judge instructed the AGF to publish the proscription order in both the official gazette and two national newspapers.

In a subsequent ruling on January 22, 2018, the court rejected a motion filed by IPOB challenging the legality of the proscription order, claiming that it had been secretly acquired by the Attorney General of the Federation.

Unhappy with the rulings, the IPOB appealed to a higher court to overturn them.

The organization, represented by a team of lawyers led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mr. Chukwuma-Machukwu Umeh, filed an appeal requesting the appellate court to completely overturn the high court’s ruling and final decision.

It claimed that the Attorney General at the time had suppressed and misrepresented facts in the affidavit he presented to the court, arguing that this proscription order effectively labeled over 30 million Nigerians of Igbo descent as terrorists.