As the face-off between the Federal Government and Twitter persists, there are indications that some Western nations had earlier received a formal designation of the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as terrorists.
A top Federal Government official, who made the disclosure, said the government, which turned in the petition almost two months ago, was surprised when a number of such Western diplomats issued a statement over the weekend on the Twitter ban.
The source said the statement completely ignored the violence being incited by Kanu, a concern the deleted tweet of President Muhammadu Buhari sought to confront.
The source said this information regarding the level of violence Kanu had been inciting and directly engaged with “are details that many of the Abuja-based diplomats have already become aware of based on official communication from the Nigerian Government.”
According to the source, details of the Federal Government’s communication to some diplomatic missions from Western nations are now beginning to emerge, including a clear designation of the group as terrorists.
Also in the communication is a formal request that the international community should treat IPOB and its leaders as criminals and terrorists in the manner of other known terrorist organisations around the world.
The source said the Federal Government in that communication had explained to some of the Western countries’ embassies that “the Nigerian National Assembly, like nearly every parliament in the world, has already passed a law to counter terrorism and violent extremism in the country, viz; the Terrorism (Prevention) Act.
“Within that legal framework, the Nigerian authorities had sought and obtained a court order declaring and proscribing IPOB as a terrorist organisation (Order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Nigeria in SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/871/2017 – ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION V. IPOB dated 20th September 2017), which order was consequently published in the Federal Government of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 99 Vol. 104 as Terrorism (Prevention) (Proscription Order) Notice 2017.
“This, therefore, makes IPOB a terrorist organisation and following the 2017 order of proscription by the Federal High Court, IPOB filed an appeal (APPEAL NO: CA/ABJ/214/2018 – IPOB V. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION) which is now pending before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, Nigeria.
“The implication of the provisions of Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention Act on the issue at hand is that IPOB is an outlawed organisation.
“Whoever fraternises or supports the organisation is undermining Nigeria’s criminal legislations while also posing a threat to its national security and sovereignty.
“It must be stated that there are several groups in Nigeria who advocate restructuring of the country or even call for secession, yet they carry out their activities unhindered in so far as it is within the confines of the law.
“It is important to stress that IPOB was declared a terrorist organisation based on proven acts of terrorism.”
Giving an update on the number of attacks, the source stated: “In roughly under four months (from January to April) this year, IPOB has carried out over 55 violent acts in various parts of Nigeria, killing scores of people and destroying many properties.”
The top government official also disclosed that “Mr. Kanu continues to broadcast online from his base in some western cities and continues to issue series of instructions to his militia and other members of the outlawed organisation, on acts of violence to be carried out within the territory of Nigeria.”
Equally, the source noted: “Members of the outlawed organisation, in furtherance to these instructions, intensified their attacks on the specified targets.
