Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The British High Commission in Nigeria has refuted media reports that the United Kingdom (UK) Government, had classified the Indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, as a terrorist organisation.
This is as the family of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has told the media aides of President Muhammadu Buhari to stop promoting lies against Biafra.
A statement, by the British High Commission, Abuja, Friday, dismissed the media reports as false and misleading.
The statement distributed to newsmen read: “We are aware of inaccurate reporting circulating in the media and online that the UK Government has added the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to the UK’s list of terrorist groups or organisations banned under UK law. These reports are untrue. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is not a proscribed organisation in the UK.
“The inaccurate reporting relates to the 13 April 2022 publication by the UK Government of a revised Country Policy and Information Note (CPIN) on separatist groups in SE Nigeria, including the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). CPINs provide country of origin information (COl) and analysis of COI for use by UK Government decision-makers handling particular types of protection and human rights claims.
“All asylum and human rights claims made in the UK are considered on their individual facts in accordance with our obligations under the UN Refugee Convention and European Convention on Human Rights, taking into account relevant background country information and case law.
“The CPIN on separatist groups in the South East, including the Indigenous People of Biafra, provides a general assessment of risks faced by individuals belonging to those groups. These assessments are based on an analysis of publicly available country information obtained from a wide range of reliable sources including media outlets; UK and other governments; local, national and international organisations; and non-government organisations.
“This CPIN also acknowledges that the Nigerian government has proscribed IPOB as a terrorist organisation, some members of IPOB have reportedly used violence against the state and members of the public, and advises that persons who have committed human rights abuses must not be granted protection.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Government had earlier hailed the UK Government for the alleged proscription when the news first filtered in.
Some Igbo groups had, in a swift response, knocked the UK for the action, arguing that it was done without due process.
Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, had said that designating IPOB as a terrorist organisation by the UK without any pronouncement by a court of competent jurisdiction was unlawful.
National President of COSEYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, who took the position in an interview with Vanguard, said that UK ought to have first taken IPOB to court before taking such action.
“The United Kingdom should first try the matter of IPOB in court and if found wanting can go ahead with her decision to declare the group a terrorist group. Justice demands that an accused should be given an opportunity of a fair hearing and if found wanting, the UK can go ahead to do the needful.
“Though we do not speak for IPOB, we have to say the truth when the need arises. Declaring a group a terrorist group without the pronouncement of a court of competent jurisdiction is unlawful.
“We urge the UK to give the accused a chance to be heard in court before taking her decision to declare them a terrorist group. If the government makes pronouncements without proper scrutiny by the court, innocent people or groups will be declared guilty which is against the law and democracy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the family of the detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has told the Federal Government to stop sponsoring lies against pro-Biafra movements.
Kanu’s younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, who spoke with Ikengaonline said the Presidency should advise the media handlers of President Muhammadu Buhari to stop feeding on lies.
He said it was amusing that the President’s media handlers had already celebrated the fake news without any attempt to verify the source.
According to him, it goes to show the mindset of the government towards Biafra. He noted that the President might not even be aware of the over-zealousness of his media aides who churn out press statements without authorisation.
Kanu’s family was reacting to the commendation of the UK Government by the Federal Government over the purported proscription of IPOB which has turned out to be incorrect.
The Federal Government had in its hasty response called for the confiscation of IPOB assets as well as sanctioning of issuance of visas to its financiers in Nigeria.
Abuja also urged London to cut its communication channels with IPOB.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, titled, “Thank you UK on IPOB. Now the next steps.”
The statement read: “Nigeria welcomes the decision by the United Kingdom to proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group.
“The violent secessionist organisation has long been proscribed as such in Nigeria where it carries out the majority of its murderous activities.
“It has taken our allies in the U.K. so long to follow suit owing to two reasons: first, the deep pockets of IPOB’s international network of funders that allow for lawyers and influence peddlers to aggressively lobby for and whitewash the activities of their client in Western courts; and second, IPOB’s influential communication network of TV and radio stations – including London-based Radio Biafra – employed with great effect to spread misinformation abroad and incite violence at home.
“The next steps are clear: now that IPOB has rightly been designated a terrorist group, the UK authorities should, in our view, follow up with confiscation of their assets, shut down their communication channels and sanction the issuance of visas to IPOB’s funders in Nigeria.”
