The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has questioned the circumstances surrounding the designation of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and the group as terrorists weeks after Kanu met with South-East governors in Enugu in August 2017.
IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, raised the question in a statement on Tuesday titled, u201cWhere Was the Terrorism Between August and September 2017?u201d
Key Highlights
- IPOB questioned the events between Nnamdi Kanuu2019s August 30, 2017 meeting with South-East governors and the groupu2019s subsequent proscription.
- The governors met Kanu in Enugu to discuss IPOBu2019s demands and possible dialogue.
- IPOB said Kanuu2019s demands focused on infrastructure, economic development, justice and governance.
- The South-East Governorsu2019 Forum proscribed IPOB activities on September 15, 2017.
- The Nigerian military also designated IPOB as a terrorist organisation in September 2017, while a Federal High Court later formalised the proscription and designation.
- IPOB has called for the evidence and circumstances behind the designation to be examined.
IPOB Recalls 2017 Meeting With South-East Governors
Kanu met with representatives of the South-East Governorsu2019 Forum at the Enugu State Government House on August 30, 2017. Contemporary reports said the meeting focused on the IPOB agitation and the possibility of dialogue. The governors said IPOBu2019s demands should not be regarded as absolute and pledged further engagement with the groupu2019s leadership.
According to IPOB, Kanu used the meeting to demand development projects and economic reforms across the South-East.
The group said his demands included the reopening and revitalisation of seaports in Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri, dredging of the River Niger, international flights into major South-East and South-South cities, completion of the Second Niger Bridge, improved railway infrastructure, reliable electricity, primary healthcare and the revival of abandoned industries.
IPOB also said Kanu demanded respect for court orders, the release of detainees and investigations into alleged killings of IPOB members and supporters.
IPOB Links Meeting To September 2017 Military Operation
The group further recalled the September 14, 2017 military operation at Kanuu2019s family home in Afaraukwu, Umuahia, Abia State.
Contemporary reports confirmed that troops conducting Operation Python Dance II invaded the compound, although accounts differed on the circumstances surrounding the operation and Kanuu2019s whereabouts afterward.
IPOB alleged that the operation was intended to kill or arrest Kanu and accused the South-East governors of supporting the military action.
The group said the South-East Governorsu2019 Forum subsequently proscribed IPOB activities on September 15, 2017.
The governorsu2019 resolution, announced by then Ebonyi State Governor Dave Umahi, declared IPOB activities proscribed and asked the group and other aggrieved groups to submit their grievances through the governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and South-East members of the National Assembly.
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IPOB Questions Terrorist Designation
Against that background, IPOB asked how the group moved from a dialogue with South-East governors to being designated a terrorist organisation within weeks.
u201cSo we ask: Where exactly was the terrorism? Where was the terrorism between the peace meeting of 30 August and the proscription of IPOB on 15 September? What terrorist activity by IPOB happened in-between?u201d the statement said.
IPOB also questioned how demands for infrastructure, employment, healthcare, industrialisation and economic development could subsequently be treated as evidence of terrorism.
u201cWhere was the terrorism in demanding justice, obedience to court orders and investigations into killings?u201d the group asked.
The statement further demanded that the Federal Government produce the evidence it relied upon in designating IPOB as a terrorist organisation.
What Happened In September 2017?
The chronology cited by IPOB is significant because several developments occurred within a short period.
On August 30, the South-East Governorsu2019 Forum met Kanu in Enugu and said it would continue discussions with IPOB over its demands.
On September 14, troops invaded Kanuu2019s family compound in Umuahia during Operation Python Dance II.
On September 15, the South-East Governorsu2019 Forum announced the proscription of IPOB activities across the region.
The Nigerian military also announced its designation of IPOB as a terrorist organisation on September 15, 2017. A subsequent Federal High Court order formally proscribed the group and declared it a terrorist organisation. The Court of Appeal reaffirmed the proscription in January 2025.
IPOB, however, continues to dispute the basis for the designation and has argued that the events leading to it should be subjected to further scrutiny.
IPOB Calls For Review Of Kanuu2019s Case
IPOB urged the Nigerian government and the international community to examine the records of the August 2017 meeting, Kanuu2019s demands, the military operation at his home and the subsequent proscription and terrorist designation.
The group also called for scrutiny of the court proceedings in Kanuu2019s case.
u201cThis is the question Nigeria must answer. What happened between 30 August and 15 September 2017? What transformed a peace meeting into a military invasion? What transformed demands for economic development and lawful governance into terrorism?u201d IPOB asked.
The claims in the statement represent IPOBu2019s account of the events. The historical record also includes government and security agenciesu2019 accounts of the circumstances surrounding the proscription and designation. Follow us on X for more updates.
