SAN FRANCISCO, January 19, (THEWILL) – A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application by the proscribed group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) challenging the order banning it.
IPOB was seeking the court to reverse the court order proscribing it and designating it a terrorist organisation.
Delivering his ruling on IPOB’s application, the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Adamu Kafarati, held that the proscription order made ex-parte on September 20 last year was validly made.
He resolved all the three formulated issues against the group and dismissed the contention of IPOB’s lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who submitted that IPOB not being registered in Nigeria but only registered in some other countries, could not be sued in Nigeria.
The Judge noted that an organisation registered abroad could be likened to a foreigner who could be arrested in another country where he was found to have committed a crime.
The Judge also held that the issuance of the proscription order by him in chambers following an ex parte application was in accordance with the provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act.
Justice Kafarati held that IPOB’s application, seeking the vacation of the proscription order was unmeritorious and deserved to be dismissed as he awarded the sum of N500,000 as cost against IPOB.
Ejiofor thanked the judge for his ruling, but said he will appeal the decision.
