By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Federal Government’s deployment of Python Dance II in the South –east in general and Abia State in particular and their activities, especially the brutal killings of armless and defenseless IPOB members coupled with the invasion of the family compound of the leader of the Independent People Of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have generated more controversies and condemnations from within the country and international community respectively.
Due to the military’s invasion, brutality and number of lives lost within few days of Python Dance II operation in Abia State, the South-east governors hastily rallied round, took a decision that is not within their purview and proscribed the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB).
While the activities of military under the Python Dance II and illegality of the proscription of IPOB by South-east governors were agitating the minds of the people; wondering why these illegalities will be happening in otherwise a democratic government in quick succession, the Nigerian Army swiftly declared the IPOB a terrorist organisation.
According to Section 2, subsection (C) of terrorism prevention act 2011, it is the Attorney–General of the Federation, the National Security Adviser or Inspector-General of Police that can proscribe or declare an organization a terrorist organization.
Apparently, in realisation of its non-compliance with the legal procedure before declaring IPOB a terrorist group, the Federal High Court in Abuja last week gave a judicial backing to the executive order outlawing IPOB and its activities in the country.
Speaking after the court judgment, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, said the Federal Government would proceed to gazette the order proscribing IPOB.
Also, the reported video footages of the brutal and inhuman activities of the Nigerian Army in the South-East region showed various scenes of the invasion of communities; torture and killings of IPOB members, which have gone viral since the Nigeria Army launched its Operation Python Dance II to clamp down on the group agitating for self-determination attracted local and international condemnations.
While the condemnations are yet to settle, the government through the minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed accused France and United Kingdom of supporting IPOB by serving as its financial headquarters and refusal to shut down Radio Biafra respectively. He further informed that government is taking diplomatic steps against the countries supporting IPOB.
According to the government, other countries from which IPOB also received huge cash inflows include: Turkey, Senegal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the United States.
However, some of these countries have also denied knowledge of the allegation of the government and have demanded for evidence to back its claim.
With the government’s accusation, the IPOB agitation has shifted from python war to diplomatic war.
Now that France and United Kingdom had not only denied the allegations leveled against them by the Federal Government, but also asked for proof of the alleged claim; with U.S and United Nations condemning and rejecting the Federal government’s categorisation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group, will Nigeria win the diplomatic war?
Considering the involvement and assistance of some of these countries in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, was it diplomatically correct to have accused these countries openly, even if there is cogent evidence against them; was every diplomatic channel explored before resorting to open accusation?
Could it be why the Embassy of France was surprised by the statement last week credited to government indicating that the ‘financial headquarters’ of IPOB is in France?
The Embassy of France also said, “We don’t have any knowledge of a particular presence of IPOB in France and the Nigerian authorities never got in touch with the embassy on this point.
It further said, “We stand ready to examine any information which could support this statement,
reiterating that France actively cooperates with Nigeria in the field of security and that it strongly support the unity of the country.”
Sundiata Post also recalls that shortly after the rejection of the classification of IPOB as terrorist group by United States and United Nations, the Presidency, through the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, said the non-recognition of IPOB as a terrorist group by foreign nation is inconsequential.
“The EU has no business absolutely and totally with our internal matters, so if EU says it does not see IPOB as a terrorist group, it does not matter as far as Nigeria is concerned, he said.
Obono-Obla who insisted that the activities of the pro-Biafra group qualified it as a terrorist group as defined by the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013, also noted that the designation of IPOB as a terrorist group was Nigeria’s domestic affair, which foreign nations should not meddle in.
But how far can this argument by the presidency be sustained, given that some of these countries are involved {logistics and otherwise} in the fight against insurgency ravaging the North East aimed at “restoring peace”, which is also an internal affairs of Nigeria.
President of the EU Commission, Mr. Jean-Claude Junker while informing of European Unions’ rejection of IPOB as a terrorist group said, “EU will not sit and watch things go undemocratic in the largest economy of the West African region”.
Junker promised to raise the issues concerning the peoples’ request for a referendum among the caucus of the EU, stating that the Biafra request for a referendum was not different from that of the Catalonians in Spain and the Scots in Britain.
The way and manner these issues are resolved will either tighten or loosen our these bilateral and multilateral ties as no country çan survive in isolation, especially the third world countries of Africa which rely heavily on foreign countries for different kinds of assistance.