LAGOS, NIGERIA – July 25, 2025 — The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned the 2017 proscription of its organization, describing it as an "executive fraud" sanctioned by what it called a “compromised judiciary.” In a press release issued by IPOB’s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group accused the Nigerian government of violating constitutional rights and bypassing due legal process.
The statement challenges the legal basis for the Federal Government’s proscription of IPOB, arguing that the organization had committed no act of terrorism or violence to warrant being labeled as unlawful.
“We issue a global challenge: Point to one terrorist act committed by IPOB prior to its proscription in 2017. Just one. There is none,” the statement declared.
IPOB criticized former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami for what it alleged was a politically motivated move to secure a proscription order through an ex parte application—without giving IPOB the chance to defend itself in court. This, IPOB argues, is a violation of Section 36(1) of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair hearing.
The group further noted that this right is non-derogable, even in times of war or national emergency, citing Sections 45(1) and 45(2) of the Constitution as further protection for civil liberties.
“You cannot criminalize a peaceful group without placing them on notice, giving them a hearing, and defining an offence under law,” the statement read.
The statement also referenced an earlier Federal High Court ruling which found that IPOB was not an unlawful society—a decision, IPOB claims, was never appealed and should therefore remain binding.
“Why did the same government go forum shopping to get Justice Kafarati to issue a contradictory ruling without hearing from IPOB? This is judicial ambush,” the group alleged.
While reiterating its peaceful stance and legal right to advocate for the self-determination of Biafra, IPOB maintained that it has been unfairly criminalized due to ethnic bias and political motives.
“We did not kill. We did not bomb. We did not burn. But we were punished—because we are Igbo. Because we dared to speak the name Biafra.”
Calling the judiciary’s actions a betrayal of constitutional democracy, IPOB urged Nigerians, members of the judiciary, and the international community to demand evidence justifying its proscription.
“If there is no evidence—and indeed there is none—then the proscription is not just illegal; it is criminal,” the statement concluded.
IPOB reaffirmed its commitment to nonviolence and constitutional advocacy, vowing to continue its campaign for justice and the right to self-determination.
