- This designation was imposed by the Nigerian government, led by former President Muhammadu Buhari, citing alleged killings and other actions during IPOB’s pursuit for Biafra Nation
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and his lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, emphasized that the Court of Appeal should proceed with the hearing on IPOB’s appeal challenging its terrorist organization designation by the Nigerian government, urging against any adjournment.
The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had set October 16 as the date for the appeal hearing filed by IPOB in contesting its terrorist organization status.
This designation was imposed by the Nigerian government, led by former President Muhammadu Buhari, citing alleged killings and other actions during IPOB’s pursuit for Biafra Nation.
Notably, on January 18, 2018, a Federal High Court in Abuja upheld the proscription of IPOB during Buhari’s presidency.
Justice Abdul Abdu-Kafarati of the Federal High Court proscribed IPOB based on the ex-parte motion filed by the then Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), on behalf of the Nigerian government, specifically declaring as illegal, all IPOB’s activities, particularly in the Southeast and South-South regions of Nigeria.
But the group approached the Court of Appeal insisting that the trial court erred in law, praying for the court to set aside the order of the lower court and the motion ex parte.
IPOB in its five grounds of appeal contended that Justice Abdu-Kafarati erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice, when he ruled that the mandatory statutory condition requiring Buhari’s approval, under Section 2 (1) (C) of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013, was satisfied, on the authority of a Memo the AGF issued on September 15, 2017.
Meanwhile, the appellate court on October 12, 2022, adjourned the hearing on the IPOB’s appeal to March 7, 2023, due to the absence of the three justices handling the matter.
However, the Appeal Court on March 7 adjourned the case to October 16.
As the new date for the hearing of the appeal approaches, IPOB’s lawyer, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, on Tuesday said that the IPOB leader, Kanu raised a strong objection to any further adjournment of the matter.
He noted that it was bad enough that the case had been hit by several adjournments since 2018.
“As the appeal filed by the IPOB against its proscription comes up for hearing on 16th October, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has directed me to publicly convey his strong objections to any further adjournment of the case.
“It’s bad enough that the case has been hit by several adjournments since 2018,” Ejimakor said.