The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to vacate an order proscribing it.
What happened:
The court on Wednesday had proscribed the activities of the group and declared it a terrorist organisation. Before then, the South East Governors’ Forum had proscribed the group.
What is happening:
IPOB’s argument:
- The group said its members are not violent, so it would be wrong to declare it a terrorist group.
- It added that the group was not given fair hearing before issuing the order.
The application read, “That the ex-parte order made on the 20th day of September 2017, by this honourable court was made without jurisdiction, as the order was granted against an entity unknown to law.
“That there is a clear suppression and misrepresentation of facts in the attorney-general affidavit evidence, pursuance to which the order was granted.
“That a declaratory order cannot be made pursuant to an ex-parte application, without hearing from the party against whom the order was made.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra who are majorly of Igbo extraction, have no history of violence in the exercise of their right to self-determination.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra does not carry arms and has no history of arm struggle in the exercise of their constitutionally guarantee rights to self-determination.”
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Ynaija
