Nnamdi Kanu Reacts to Appeal Court Judgment Affirming IPOB’s Proscription

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has vowed to challenge the Court of Appeal’s recent ruling that upheld the designation of IPOB as a terrorist organization.

Kanu made this declaration during a visit by his legal team, led by special counsel Aloy Ejimakor, at the State Security Service (SSS) facility where he is being detained. The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Thursday, affirmed the Federal Government’s 2017 proscription of IPOB, which has been agitating for an independent Biafra, seeking to carve it out from Nigeria’s South-East and parts of the South-South region.

The Nigerian government under former President Muhammadu Buhari had outlawed IPOB, a move formalized by the Federal High Court in Abuja. However, Kanu and his legal team maintain that the process leading to IPOB’s proscription was flawed.

Ejimakor, speaking on behalf of Kanu, described the court ruling as deeply flawed and vowed to challenge it through legal means, both domestically and internationally. He argued that the ruling failed to align with the Nigerian Constitution and relevant legal statutes.

A key argument from Kanu’s legal team is that the proscription was granted through an ex parte application by the government, rather than a proper hearing where IPOB could have been given an opportunity to defend itself. Ejimakor stated that this process violated the constitutional right to fair hearing.

Another concern raised was that the proscription order was signed by the late Abba Kyari, then Chief of Staff, instead of the president, as required by law. While the Court of Appeal acknowledged these procedural lapses, it upheld the proscription on the grounds of national security. Kanu’s lawyers, however, question what specific national security threat IPOB posed in 2017 to warrant such a drastic action, arguing that the ruling unfairly targets the Igbo people.

Beyond IPOB’s proscription, Kanu himself is facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja. However, his legal team insists that the Court of Appeal ruling will not impact his trial, as the decision is not final. They have resolved to take the matter to the Supreme Court, which will have the ultimate say on IPOB’s legal status.

Ejimakor also warned against labeling Kanu a terrorist, stressing that until a final Supreme Court ruling or a conviction, such statements could lead to legal consequences. He emphasized that any individual or organization that brands Kanu or IPOB as terrorists prematurely would face legal action.