Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court issued a verdict on Thursday, declaring the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by the South-East Governors’ Forum as illegal, unconstitutional, and null and void.
The ban on IPOB activities was initiated by the South-East Governors Forum in 2017, under the leadership of former Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State. Subsequently, the Federal Government designated IPOB as a terrorist organization three days later.
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, represented by his counsel, Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, approached the court seeking the reversal of the proscription. Kanu argued that the proscription was illegal, emphasizing that IPOB comprises Nigerian citizens from Igbo and other Eastern Nigerian ethnic groups professing the political opinion of self-determination.
Kanu requested the court to declare his arrest, detention, and prosecution as illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, and a violation of his fundamental rights. He also urged the court to affirm that self-determination is not a crime and cannot serve as a basis for his arrest, detention, and prosecution.
In addition, Kanu petitioned the court to compel the defendants to pay him N8 billion in damages for the physical, mental, emotional, and psychological trauma he endured.
In his judgment, Justice Onovo concurred with Kanu, deeming the IPOB proscription “unconstitutional and illegal.” He ordered the defendants to pay N8 billion in damages and to issue a public apology to Kanu through newspaper publications.
After the judgment, Kanu’s lawyer, Ejimakor, expressed gratitude for the judicial decision, stating that it reaffirms the common man’s trust in the judiciary and has saved numerous lives since 2017.