Biafran group printed illegal passports, currencies - Garba Shehu

President Muhammadu Buharis Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity,

The presidential spokesman disclosed this while speaking during an interview on Channels TV on Thursday, September 21, 2017.

While defending the Federal Government's handling of the group over the past two weeks, Shehu said they posed a significant amount of threat to the country's peace and had to be dealt with accordingly.

He noted that while the group publicly threatened the nation's sovereignty, their leader, Nnamdi Kanu also closed down diplomatic channels to have mediation talks.

He said, "Initially, it was clear that Kanu shut himself out of the reconciliation process (before talks with south-east governors began).

"In the run-up of these processes, the governors of the states in the region had put up a forum, IPOB said no, thank you, we are not interested. Senators set up a delegation and they said no.

"IPOB members had already declared a territory, printed passports and currencies. They had made an open threat to seize neighbouring states, they are attacking people illegally and they are taxing money by force, so what else do you need to act upon?"

Shehu didn't offer any proof, but argued that while it's understandable that agitations will always exist, they should always be channeled towards the processes outlined by the country's constitution.

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On Wednesday, September 20, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the Federal Government an interim injunction proscribing activities of IPOB.

This came after the separatist group was officially branded a "militant terrorist organisation" in a statement by Director, Defence Information (DDI), Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, on Friday, September 15.

This was followed up by an official proscription of activities of the group by the South East Governors' Forum later on Friday after an emergency meeting in Enugu.

Chairman of the forum, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi requested the group and other such groups to articulate their grievances and send to the forum.