The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called for the immediate reversal of the court order that declared it a terrorist group. The group said the proscription, made by a Federal High Court in Abuja, is illegal and goes against an earlier judgment that found no evidence against IPOB.
In a statement released by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, IPOB pointed to a 2017 ruling by Justice Binta Nyako, who dismissed claims by the Federal Government that IPOB was an unlawful organisation. According to Powerful, the ruling clearly stated there was no evidence to label the group as illegal or proscribed.
“The court found no proof that IPOB is a criminal group. That judgment has not been challenged to date,” he said.
Despite this, IPOB said the Buhari-led government bypassed proper legal procedures and obtained an ex parte order from another judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati, to declare the group a terrorist organisation—without giving IPOB a chance to defend itself in court.
IPOB argued that this move violated Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees fair hearing. The group insisted that the ex parte order was “unlawful, null, and void from the start,” because legal procedures require the affected party to be present during such hearings.
Emma Powerful criticised those defending the proscription order and said any ruling based on that foundation is flawed.
“The Buhari government simply did not like the judgment that cleared us, so they went around it in secret,” he said. “That is not how justice should work.”
The group also called on the international community, human rights bodies, and legal professionals to speak out against what it described as abuse of power and suppression of lawful self-determination.
IPOB maintained it is a peaceful movement pushing for the rights of the Biafran people and urged the government to respect the rule of law and reverse the proscription.
