Court Takes Action on Appeal of IPOB Proscription

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved its judgment on the Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) appeal challenging its proscription as a terrorist organization by the Federal Government.

A three-man panel, led by Justice Hamma Barka, on Thursday, adjourned the matter after the Federal Government and IPOB adopted their final briefs of argument.

IPOB’s lawyer, Chukwuma-Machukwu Umeh, argued that the organization was denied a fair hearing, while the Federal Government’s lawyer, Oyilade Koleosho, denied the allegation and prayed the court to dismiss the appeal.

The Federal High Court had proscribed IPOB on September 15, 2017, declaring its activities illegal, particularly in the South-east and South-South regions. The court restrained anyone from participating in IPOB’s activities and directed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national dailies.

IPOB alleged that the AGF suppressed and misrepresented facts in the affidavit evidence, adding that the proscription order was tantamount to declaring over 30 million Nigerians of Igbo extraction as terrorists.

IPOB contended that the lower court judge erred in law, failing to evaluate affidavit evidence that showed IPOB was not a violent organization. The group argued that its activities fell short of acts of terrorism and that it was exercising its constitutional rights to self-determination.