Why Buhari, Court okayed IPOB Ban
Efforts of the Federal Government to declare the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB a terrorist organisation and proscribe its activities, bore fruits Wednesday.
A Federal High Court in Abuja granted an order declaring the activities of IPOB as “acts of terrorism and illegality.”
The order, which followed an ex-parte motion filed by Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, in suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/871?2017, also proscribed the existence of IPOB throughout Nigeria, with particular attention paid to the South-East and South-South regions.
The motion was filed Wednesday and the order granted same day by Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati. The four grounds were: “An order of the court to declare that the activities of the respondent (IPOB) in any part of Nigeria, especially in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria amount to acts of terrorism and illegality.
“An order of the court proscribing the existence of IPOB in any part of Nigeria, particularly, in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria, either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called and publishing same in the official gazette and two national newspapers.
“An order restraining any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of IPOB under any other name of platform however called or described. And for any such further or other orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of this case.’’
The Justice Minister backed his application with a sworn affidavit deposed to by Corporal Kolawole Matthew of the Nigerian Army and a written address in compliance with Section 84 of the Evidence Act of 2011. Malami approached the judge in company of Dayo Akpata, Solicitor-General of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Maimuna Shiru, Acting Director of Civil Litigations, T.A. Garali and Oyin Koleosho.
After listening to the applicants, the Acting Chief Judge of the FHC, Justice Abdu Kafarati, granted all the orders and proscribed IPOB. The judge ruled: “That the application by the AGF is granted as prayed. “That an order declaring the activities of the respondents (IPOB) in any part of Nigeria especially in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria amount to acts of terrorism and illegality is granted.
“That an order proscribing the existence of the respondent (IPOB) in any part of Nigeria especially in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria either in groups or as individuals by whatever names they are called and publishing same in the official gazette and two national newspapers is granted.
“That an order restraining any person or group of persons from participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intention or otherwise of IPOB under any other name of platform however called or described is granted. Issued at Abuja under the seal of the Court and the hand of the presiding judge this 20th day of September, 2017. It was accompanied by a Certified True Copy signed by the Ben Molokwu, the Registrar and another Registrar, Prince Babatunde Adejoro Ashada.
Before the order, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed , told State House correspondents at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, that President Buhari had approved the process for proscribing IPOB.
He said that IPOB is a contraption against the administration of President Buhari and that the group is being sponsored by some foreign countries. Mohammed said he would not join the debate over the legality or otherwise of the proscription of the group, saying “for those who are fixated with legality, I have good news for them: President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the process of proscribing IPOB, and the procedure is on as I speak.”