IPOB to FG: We were not lawfully proscribed — Obey the constitution

…Warns against labeling it a terrorist group without court conviction

…Says ex parte order is not a final judgment

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged the Federal Government to cease what it described as misleading claims about its proscription, stating that the group was not lawfully declared a terrorist or proscribed organisation under Nigerian or international law.

In a statement issued by its Directorate of Legal Affairs and made available by spokesperson Emma Powerful, IPOB maintained that the 2017 ex parte order obtained by the government was not the result of a full trial and did not amount to a conviction.

“The ex parte order was issued without prior notice to IPOB, without presentation of evidence, and without an opportunity for defense,” the group said. “This falls short of the requirements of Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair hearing.”

IPOB cautioned individuals, groups, and media outlets against publicly referring to it as a terrorist organisation without a valid court ruling, warning that such actions may prompt legal redress under applicable defamation and constitutional rights laws.

The group emphasized that its position has always been that no competent court has made a final, post-trial judgment proscribing it as a terrorist group, and it continues to challenge the legal basis of the ex parte order in court, including at the Supreme Court.

IPOB also stressed that it is committed to peaceful advocacy and has sought legal remedies to defend its name, unlike groups officially designated as terrorist organisations by relevant global bodies.

The statement read in part:

“IPOB was not convicted or found guilty of terrorism by any court of law following a fair trial. Labeling the group without such a ruling undermines the principles of justice.”

It also called on the media to report accurately and avoid using terms that are not legally established, noting the distinction between the terms “proscribed organisation” and “terrorist group,” which it said should not be used interchangeably without legal basis.

Finally, the group urged the judiciary and government institutions to uphold the Constitution and ensure that all parties, regardless of identity or cause, are afforded the right to fair hearing.

“We are confident that the truth will prevail through lawful means. Our commitment remains to peaceful advocacy and legal process,” the statement concluded.

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