Presidency fails to confirm Buhari's endorsement of group's ban

The presidency has failed to confirm reports about President Muhammadu Buharis signing of a proclamation proscribing the

The president had reportedly signed the proclamation on Sunday, September 17, 2017, before his departure for the UN General Assembly in New York.

The signing was reported to be a move by the president to take the heat off the army for the public outcry against its official branding of the group as a military organisation.

When asked about the authenticity of the report during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, September 19, President Buhari's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said he's not aware of such a proclamation, declining to confirm or deny it.

He said, "I read the report also online today, but it is not something I have discussed with him. So, I can’t confirm or deny whether that actually came up before he left the country."

The report also revealed that the presidency had effectively initiated the formal process of proscribing IPOB in accordance with the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami.

Also on Tuesday, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, expressed theFederal Government's firm support of the military's decision to categorise IPOB as a terrorist organisation, and the proscription of its activities by the South East Governors' Forum.

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Despite the public criticism that has trailed the army's decision to brand the group as a terrorist organisation, the minister insisted that the group could have caused a lot of damage to national security without the significant involvement of the military.

After a week of unrest between IPOB members and the Nigerian Army in Abia state, 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.

On Monday, September 18, Senate President Bukola Saraki dismissed the categorisation of the group as a terrorist organisation, calling it unconstitutional, and asking President Muhammadu Buhari to use the proper channels to initiate the process.