Court Of Appeal Confirms IPOB’s Designation As Terrorist Group

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Thursday upheld an order of the High Court, which proscribed and designated the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation.

The appellate court dismissed an application filed by the IPOB seeking a reversal of the order proscribing the group and designating it as a terrorist organisation.

Prime Business Africa reports that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja presided by late former Chief Judge, Abdul Abdu-Kafarati, had on 15 September 2017 outlawed IPOB and its activities.

The lower court had then given the proscription order on the strength of an ex-parte motion filed by former AGF, Abubakar Malami, on behalf of the Federal Government.

Justice Kafarati declared as illegal, all activities of the IPOB in the South-east and South-South regions of the country.The High Court judge also restrained “any person or group of persons from participating in any of the group’s activities”.

The Judge directed the AGF to ensure that he published the proscription order in the official gazette, as well as in two national dailies.

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However, IPOB appealed the judgment at the Appeal Court. The group urged the appellate court to set aside the judgment.

IPOB argued in its five grounds of appeal that Justice Abdu-Kafarati erred and caused a miscarriage of justice when he decided that, based on an AGF memo dated 15 September 2017, the mandatory statutory condition requiring President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval under Section 2 (1) (C) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013 was satisfied.

It further informed the appellate court that the high judge had not examined, taken into account, or included in his decisions the affidavit evidence that was presented to prove that IPOB was not a violent group.

In unanimous ruling on Thursday, a three-member panel of the appellate court presided over by Justice Hamma Barka upheld the Federal High Court’s ruling in Abuja that banned the IPOB in 2017.

The court ruled that there was no justification for overturning the Federal Government’s decision against the group, holding that FG had acted legally in outlawing the group whose operations posed a threat to stability in the country.

It resolved all the issues against the IPOB and dismissed its appeal citing lack of merit.