Legal counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Aloy Ejimakor, has argued that branding IPOB as a terrorist sponsor is fundamentally flawed and unjustifiable.
Ejimakor made this known in a statement on his X account on Wednesday.
Recall that the Nigerian government recently released a list of 48 terrorist sponsors with IPOB named.
The Nigerian government’s move comes amid a renewed wave of insecurity in the country, with several military officers losing their lives to terrorists.
Reacting, Ejimakor maintained that every native of the former Eastern Nigeria, commonly referred to as Biafra or Ndịgbo, is inherently a member of IPOB by ethnic identity.
“This Truth is Self-Evident: Every native of former Eastern Nigeria/Biafra (or NNdigbo) is ethnically a bonafide MEMBER of the Indigenous People of Biafra,” he wrote.
He further argued that labeling IPOB as a terrorist sponsor is equivalent to categorizing other regional socio-cultural identities as terrorist groups, describing such a move as a “misnomer that cannot stand.”
Ejimakor drew parallels with groups representing other regions, suggesting that tagging IPOB in such a manner would be similar to branding Arewa or Oduduwa entities as terrorist sponsors.
The remarks come amid ongoing debates and legal controversies surrounding IPOB’s status and activities in Nigeria.
Labeling Igbos, IPOB members terrorist sponsors flawed – Ejimakor to Nigerian govt
