The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the 2018 decision of the Federal High Court that proscribed the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and classified it as a terrorist organization.
Delivering the unanimous judgment on Thursday, a three-member panel of the appellate court ruled that the federal government acted lawfully in banning IPOB, citing the group’s activities as a threat to national security and stability.
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Justice Hamma Barka, who delivered the lead judgment, dismissed IPOB’s appeal, stating that all the issues raised by the group lacked merit. The court upheld the legality of the 2018 ruling, reinforcing the initial proscription order issued on September 15, 2017, by the late Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati of the Federal High Court.
Background of the Proscription
The proscription order was initiated through an ex-parte motion filed by the then Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami. The court declared all IPOB activities illegal, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions, and prohibited any individual or group from participating in them.
The Federal High Court further directed the AGF to ensure that the proscription order was published in the official gazette and in two national newspapers.
A follow-up ruling on January 22, 2018, dismissed IPOB’s challenge to the proscription, affirming that the government had adhered to due process.
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IPOB’s Appeal Dismissed
IPOB, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chukwuma-Machukwu Umeh, appealed the ruling, arguing that the proscription unjustly labeled over 30 million Igbos as terrorists.
The group alleged that the AGF misrepresented facts in his affidavit, claiming that the proscription was both unconstitutional and discriminatory. However, the appellate court dismissed all grounds of appeal raised by IPOB, ruling them as unmeritorious.
Justice Barka stated that the federal government’s actions were consistent with the law and aimed at preserving national security.
This decision marks a significant development in the legal battle between IPOB and the federal government, further solidifying the ban on the group’s activities in Nigeria.