A Federal High Court, on Wednesday, declared the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorists group.
The declaration followed an application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, for the proscription of the group.
Granting the request, the court declared that the activities of IPOB constitute an act of terrorism.
The judgement reads in part: “That the application is granted as prayed.
“That an order declaring that the activities of the Respondent (Indigenous People of Biafra) in any part of Nigeria, especially in the South-East and South-South Regions of Nigeria amount to acts of terrorism and illegality as granted.
“That an order restraining any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of IPOB under any name or platform however called is granted.”
It would be recalled that the military’s declaration of IPOB as a terrorists group was greeted with criticism.
Critics, including IPOB, said the government did not take the constitutional process in making the declaration.
Recall too that the Minster of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had earlier disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved taking the legal process to ban IPOB.
