Nigerian Woman Gains UK Asylum After Joining IPOB

• A Nigerian woman secured UK asylum after eight rejections by joining IPOB, a group designated as a terrorist organization in Nigeria

• Upper Tribunal Judge Loughran ruled she faced persecution risk due to her IPOB involvement, overturning a previous dismissal of her claim

A Nigerian migrant who faced eight asylum rejections in the United Kingdom has finally secured the right to stay after joining the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a separatist group labelled as a terrorist organization by the Nigerian government.

According to British media reports, the 49-year-old woman deliberately became involved with IPOB to strengthen her asylum claim. She initially arrived in the UK in 2011 and later joined IPOB, which has been accused of violent activities. While Nigeria designated IPOB as a terrorist organization in 2017, the UK has not officially recognized it as such.

Upper Tribunal Judge Gemma Loughran ruled that the woman had a ‘well-founded fear of persecution’ due to her association with IPOB, making her eligible for asylum in the UK.

This decision overturned an earlier ruling by a lower tribunal judge, Iain Burnett, who had dismissed her claim, stating that she joined IPOB solely to fabricate grounds for asylum.

The woman argued that returning to Nigeria would put her at risk of arrest and possible disappearance, particularly at the airport. While the lower tribunal rejected this claim due to insufficient evidence, Judge Loughran ruled that she could be identified as an IPOB activist upon return, thus justifying her asylum status.

The ruling has sparked criticism, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philip calling it a ‘comically ludicrous’ interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The case has also reignited debates on the UK’s asylum policies and how affiliations with controversial groups can influence immigration decisions.