Bashir Ahmad, former Special Assistant on Digital Communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has mocked Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, over his silence following the Appeal Court’s ruling that affirmed the designation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization.
Ahmad posted an image on his social media showing Peter Obi with a piece of cellotape covering his mouth, implying that Obi had nothing to say about the court’s decision.
The ruling, handed down on Thursday by the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court, upheld an earlier decision by Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, which proscribed IPOB and officially labeled it a terrorist group.
The three-member panel of the Appeal Court unanimously agreed with the Federal Government’s legal counsel, Oyin Koleosho, that the proscription of IPOB was lawful. The judges emphasized that IPOB’s activities represented a significant threat to the nation’s security and stability.
Justice Hamma Barka, who delivered the lead judgment, rejected IPOB’s argument that the procedure used by the Federal Government in proscribing the group was flawed. He ruled that the government had adhered to the relevant laws, specifically Section 2(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, when it adopted ex-parte proceedings to designate IPOB as a terrorist organization.
The court dismissed the appeal, asserting that IPOB’s actions had endangered Nigeria’s existence and the safety of its citizens.
