The legal team representing Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has called on Nigerians and all media houses in Nigeria to stop referring to IPOB as a terrorist group.
This directive is contained in a legal notice dated June 7, 2024, addressed to the media, the general public, and government agencies. The notice, signed by Aloy Ejimakor, Esq., on behalf of Kanu's legal team, asserts that any person, media house, or government agency that continues to label IPOB as a terrorist group will face litigation.
The legal team emphasized that there is no evidence to support claims that IPOB has engaged in terrorist activities. They also referenced a High Court ruling that determined IPOB is not a terrorist organization.
The statement reads in part: "Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Legal Team is under firm instructions from our Client to issue this final warning to all persons and institutions still referring to IPOB as a terrorist organization. Any further reference to IPOB as a terrorist organization will be met with litigation and other lawful measures, regardless of the entity involved. This is because a competent High Court in Nigeria has ruled that IPOB's proscription as a terrorist group by Buhari is illegal, discriminatory, and unconstitutional. Compliance with this Judgment strictly demands that IPOB should no longer be referred to as a terrorist organization.
"Furthermore, those calling IPOB a terrorist organization have not provided any evidence that IPOB has engaged in terrorist activities. Since the proscription of IPOB in 2017, no member has been convicted of any terrorist act, despite numerous arrests, abductions, torture, false flags, and extrajudicial killings of its alleged members.
"We hereby demand that the general public, the Presidency, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police, and any erring media houses cease and desist from using defamatory and prejudicial labels against IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu."
In a judgment delivered by Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court in suit No: E/20/2023, the court declared that the proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organization is illegal, unconstitutional, and null and void.
The suit, filed by Kanu on behalf of IPOB members, was against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, the Governor of Ebonyi State, and the South East Governors Forum.
The judgment reads in part: "Upon this matter coming up today, the 26th day of October 2023, for Judgment; After considering the processes filed, the Annexures, and the Written Addresses filed by Counsel for the Applicant and Respondents.”
The court heard submissions from Aloy Ejimakor Esq., who appeared with other counsel for the Applicant, and Maimuna Lami Shiru (Mrs) with her colleagues for the Respondents.
The court declared: "The application of the Terrorism Prevention Act and the Executive or Administrative action of the Respondents, which led to the proscription of IPOB and its listing as a terrorist group, is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, and infringes on the Applicant's fundamental rights. Self-determination is not a crime in Nigeria and cannot be used as a basis for arrest, detention, and prosecution."
The court ordered the Respondents to issue an official apology to the Applicant and publish the apology in three national dailies. Additionally, the Respondents were ordered to pay N8,000,000,000.00 (Eight billion naira) to the Applicant as damages for physical, mental, emotional, psychological, property, and other harms suffered.
The judgment was issued in Enugu under the seal of the Court and the hand of the Presiding Judge on October 26, 2023.
LEGAL NOTICE: 7th June, 2024
— aloy ejimakor (@AloyEjimakor) June 7, 2024
From: Nnamdi Kanu’s Legal Team
TO: All Media/General Public/Government Agencies
Subject: All should cease and desist from calling IPOB a terrorist group.
The general public, media houses and government agencies are hereby put on LEGAL NOTICE of… pic.twitter.com/g4gRUl9JZ3
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