We Were Not Lawfully Proscribed — IPOB Tells Nigerian Govt

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has denied claims that it was proscribed by the Federal Government. The group warned FG to stop what it described as misleading claims about its proscription. The group stated that it was not lawfully declared a terrorist or proscribed organisation under Nigerian or international laws. This was contained in a statement by the group’s Directorate of Legal Affairs and made available by spokesperson Emma Powerful. IPOB maintained that the 2017 ex-parte order obtained by the government was not the result of a full trial and did not amount to a conviction. “The ex parte order was issued without prior notice to IPOB, without presentation of evidence, and without an opportunity for defense. “This falls short of the requirements of Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair hearing,” it said. The group said referring to it as a terrorist organisation without a valid court ruling may prompt legal redress under applicable defamation and constitutional rights laws. It emphasized that its position has always been that no competent court has made a final, post-trial judgment proscribing it as a terrorist group, and it continues to challenge the legal basis of the ex parte order in court, including at the Supreme Court. IPOB also reiterated its commitment to peaceful advocacy, adding that it has sought legal remedies to defend its name.