The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) urged that the Federal Government either take down the label of “terrorist” that it had applied to the group or show up in court to defend it.
On September 20, 2017, Justice Abdul Kafarati issued an ex parte order prohibiting IPOB from being classified as a “terrorist” outfit.
However, according to a statement from the pro-Biafran organization’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the Federal Government has declined to show up at the Appeal Court to defend its proscription decree.
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According to Powerful, the IPOB legal team has been appealing the proscription ruling at the Appeal Court since 2018. Nevertheless, the Nigerian Federal Government continues to obstruct its hearing by employing a “slow and warped” legal system.
Powerful said, “Ever since the IPOB’s proscription was appealed, the Federal Government and her compromised Judges have been running away from meeting the IPOB legal team in their court.
“The Federal Government and her Courts are running while the IPOB legal team awaits them in the court to continue what they started.
“The IPOB, ably led by our supreme leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wondered why the Federal Government is running away from defending their ‘black market’ proscription of IPOB before the Appeal Court.
“This black market proscription order has been appealed in the Appeal Court since 2018 by the IPOB legal team, but the Federal Government of Nigeria keeps using the slow and warped justice system to frustrate the hearing of the Appeal.
“IPOB is a peaceful movement seeking Biafra restoration. IPOB, since its formation, has organised the most peaceful rallies across the world, particularly in Biafra territories. Irrespective of our non-violence approach, the ethnic-biased former President used one of his kinsmen, a judge, to proscribe this peaceful movement.
“Our legal team appealed the proscription in 2018. Since then, we have been waiting for the Federal Government to appear in their court and explain to the world how a peaceful movement seeking freedom became a terrorist organisation.”
