The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its designation as a terrorist organization.
In a unanimous decision delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel led by Justice Hamma Barka affirmed the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja which had outlawed IPOB’s activities in Nigeria.
The appellate court ruled that the Federal Government acted lawfully in proscribing IPOB, citing the group’s activities as a threat to national security and stability.
It dismissed IPOB’s appeal for lack of merit, resolving all issues in favor of the government.
The initial proscription order was issued on September 15, 2017, by the late Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati, the former Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
This ruling, granted following an ex parte motion filed by then-Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), declared IPOB’s activities illegal, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions.
The court also restrained individuals and groups from participating in IPOB-related activities and directed the Attorney General to publish the proscription in the official gazette and two national newspapers.
In a follow-up decision on January 22, 2018, the Federal High Court dismissed IPOB’s motion challenging the legality of the proscription order, rejecting claims that the government had obtained it through misleading evidence.
Dissatisfied with these rulings, IPOB took its case to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the proscription effectively labeled over 30 million Igbo people as terrorists. The group, represented by a legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Chukwuma-Machukwu Umeh, contended that the government misrepresented facts to secure the proscription.
However, the Court of Appeal has now reaffirmed the Federal Government’s position, maintaining that IPOB remains banned in Nigeria.
