Following the recent proscription and declaration of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the Federal Government has gazetted the order to further give it the force of law. The gazette which was published on September 20, the date the proscription order was issued by the Court, was signed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The document titled ‘Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice, 2017’ is contained in Volume 104 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette according to Punch.
It read in part;
“Notice is hereby given that by the Order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/871/2017, dated September 20, 2017 as per the schedule to this Notice, the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra are declared to be terrorism and illegal in any part of Nigeria, especially in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria as proscribed, pursuant to Section 2 of the Terrorism (Prevention)Act, 2011 (as mended).
Consequently, the general public is hereby warned that any person or group of persons participating in any manner whatsoever in any form of activities involving or concerning the prosecution of the collective intentions or otherwise of the said groups will be violating the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended) and liable to prosecution. This Notice shall be cited as the Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice, 2017.”
Meanwhile, following the gazette of the order, the Federal Government has moved to notify banks within and outside the country to stop all transactions with the group. Apart from banks, embassies and foreign missions are billed to be alerted too.
The Punch further reports that the Presidency may appoint an administrator for the forfeiture of IPOB's assets since it has been declared unlawful.
Recall that the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati on September 20 proscribed IPOB following an exparte application filled by the AGF. Although the court has successfully proscribed the group, some countries and International Organizations including the United States and European Union have refused to declare the group a terrorist organization.
