Chidi Nnadi, Enugu; Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday failed to reverse the order of the Federal High Court, proscribing its activities and designating it as a terrorist organisation.

The Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati refused the application on the grounds that the order granted by the court on September 20, 2017, proscribing IPOB and its activities was proper and valid in law.

But, in a swift reaction, counsel to the group, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor vowed to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

Justice Kafarati, in his ruling yesterday, disagreed with the position canvassed by Ejiofor, that IPOB, not being registered in Nigeria, but only registered in some other countries, could not be sued in Nigeria.

The acting chief  judge noted that an organisation registered abroad could be likened to a foreigner, who could be arrested in another country where he commits a crime.

Justice Kafarati also held that the issuance of the proscription order by him in chambers was valid in line with the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act and did not constitute a breach of the fundamental rights to fair hearing, freedom of association and freedom of expression as argued by counsel to the applicant.

Meanwhile, Justice Kafarati awarded N500 as cost against IPOB.

The organisation had, through its lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor,  approached the court to challenge the ruling it delivered on September 20, 2017, which outlawed it, following  an ex-parte motion the AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, filed on behalf of the government. 

Justice Kafarati, had, in the said ruling, declared as illegal, all activities of IPOB, particularly in the South East and South South regions of the country.

The proscription order which was dished out in chambers  further restrained “any person or group of persons from participating in any of the group’s activities.”

The court consequently directed the AGF to ensure that he published the order proscribing IPOB in the official gazette, as well as in two national dailies, an order the Federal Government had since complied with.

Meanwhile, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned judgment of an Abuja High Court, presided over by Justice Abdul Kafarati, which yesterday upheld the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation. 

The Federal Government had last year declared IPOB a terrorist organisation which the group challenged in court.

President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who condemned the judgment in Enugu, described it as nepotism aimed at stigmatising their children.

“It is unfortunate that our courts are allowing themselves to be used for unlawful and political ends.  IPOB has done nothing to qualify, as defined by international standards, to be called a terrorist organisation. 

“Sadly, the Attorney General of the Federation, in his parochialism, unmitigated bias and calumny, has not found it necessary to classify the Fulani herdsmen as terrorists, in spite of their classification by the Global Terrorist Index as the fourth deadliest terrorist organisation in the world. 

“Ohanaeze frowns at this nepotism, denigration of our judiciary and stigmatisation of our children,” Nwodo said.