Court upholds pro-Biafra group's terrorist status

Samson Toromade 16:57 - 18 January 2018

The court ruled that the issuance of the proscription was in accordance with the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act.

An Abuja division of the Federal High Court has dismissed the application of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) seeking to reverse a court order that proscribed its activities and designated it as a terrorist organisation in 2017.

In a judgement delivered by Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High, Justice Abdu Kafarati, on Thursday, January 18, 2018, he dismissed the arguments raised by the the pro-Biafra group's counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor.

He said that the original proscription order made on September 20, 2017, was a valid one and said the group's application to vacate it was unmeritorious and deserved to be dismissed.

Justice Kafarati noted that the issuance of the proscription, which he ordered, was in accordance with the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act.

Ejiofor promised to appeal the decision.