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BREAKING: Appeal Court Upholds IPOB’s Proscription As Terrorist Group
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- Appeal Court affirms IPOB’s proscription as a terrorist group.
- Judges rule federal government followed due process in 2017 ban.
- IPOB’s appeal dismissed, proscription remains in force.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the 2018 ruling of the Federal High Court, which outlawed the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and designated it as a terrorist organization.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that delivering judgment on Thursday, a three-member appellate court panel unanimously ruled that the federal government acted within legal bounds in banning the group, citing its activities as a threat to national security and stability.
Justice Hamma Barka, who delivered the lead judgment, dismissed IPOB’s appeal, stating that all issues raised by the group lacked merit. The court maintained that the federal government had lawfully proscribed IPOB, upholding the 2017 order by the late Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati of the Federal High Court.
The proscription order, issued on September 15, 2017, followed an ex-parte motion filed by then-Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami. The ruling declared all IPOB activities illegal, particularly in the South-East and South-South regions, and prohibited individuals or groups from participating in them.
Furthermore, the court directed the AGF to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national newspapers. A subsequent ruling on January 22, 2018, upheld the proscription, dismissing IPOB’s challenge and affirming that due process was followed.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, IPOB, through its legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chukwuma-Machukwu Umeh, appealed the ruling. The group argued that the AGF misrepresented facts in his affidavit and contended that the proscription effectively labeled over 30 million Igbos as terrorists.
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Appeal Court Upholds IPOB’s Proscription As Terrorist Group
However, the appellate court rejected IPOB’s claims and upheld the legality of its proscription, maintaining that the federal government had acted within the law in classifying the group as a terrorist organization.
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