“Every Igbo Man Is a Bona Fide IPOB Member” — Ejimakor Warns Terror Label Targets Entire South-East

Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to detained pro-Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu, has argued that the Nigerian government’s designation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation has broader implications for people of South-East origin.

In a statement shared Wednesday on X, Ejimakor said individuals from the former Eastern Region are, by identity, part of IPOB. He contended that branding the group as linked to terrorism effectively casts suspicion on an entire ethnic population.

He also criticised the federal government under Bola Tinubu for including IPOB in a recently published list of terrorist organisations and sponsors. According to him, the move is premature, as the legality of IPOB’s proscription remains before the Supreme Court.

Ejimakor described the listing as contempt of court, noting that he personally filed the pending appeal challenging the designation.

The latest comments follow the release of a sanctions list by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee, which named dozens of individuals and entities allegedly linked to terrorism financing. The committee operates under the Office of the National Security Adviser.

IPOB was first declared a terrorist organisation in 2017 during the administration of Muhammadu Buhari, after a Federal High Court order in Abuja. Authorities cited security concerns, including alleged attacks and separatist activities.

However, the decision has faced sustained legal challenges. In October 2023, an Enugu State High Court ruled the proscription unconstitutional, stating that the right to self-determination is protected under applicable legal frameworks.

Despite that ruling, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by James Omotosho, convicted Kanu in November 2025 on terrorism-related charges and sentenced him to life imprisonment, affirming his leadership of IPOB and its armed wing.

Ejimakor’s remarks add to ongoing debate over the legal status of IPOB and the broader implications of its classification within Nigeria’s security framework.