THE Nigerian government has dismissed the position of the United States of America and the European Union on the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra by Nigeria, led by Nnamdi Kanu, as irrelevant and immaterial.

The position of the Nigerian Government comes a few hours after SUNDAY PUNCH reported that the United States government does not view IPOB as a terrorist organisation.

This was based on the response via email to an enquiry by the SUNDAY PUNCH by the spokesman for the American Embassy in Nigeria, Russell Brooks.

The European had also on September 16, rejected the classification of IPOB as a terrorist organisation.

But writing on a Yahoo Group, African World Forum, late on Sunday, Okoi Obono Obla, the special assistant on Prosecution to President Muhammadu Buhari, said the positions of both the EU and US Government on IPOB was irrelevant and immaterial as far as Nigeria is concerned.

Using the email address: okoiobla@hotmail.com, Obla wrote, unedited: “I have previously said that the international community should not meddle in our internal affairs because doing that will amount to erosion of our sovereignty! 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 is of no moment as far as Nigeria is concerned. It is inconsequential!

“We all know by the definition of a terrorist organization within the meaning of the term as defined by the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act , IPOB is a terrorist organization Also by its advocacy and modus of operation it is a terrorist organization ! It used to terrorize, harassing or intimidating those who do not subscribe it to its separatist’s ideology and ethnic bigotry before its proscription so it is a terrorist organization! This is also an organization that was hounding and killing Nigerians in Rivers and Abia States before the military intervention! This is a group that we’re burning police stations; killings police officers, throwing bombs at military convoys, threatening to make the country ungovernable: threatening to stop governorship election in Anambra State!

“Most importantly a court of competent jurisdiction -Federal High Court has presided over by the Acting Chief Judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati upon an application filed by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation hinged on Section 2 (1) (a) & (b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act granted an order proscribing IPOB ! So whether EU or United States of Nigeria or any foreign country says about IPOB is immaterial , irrelevant and of no moment !I want to add the USA may say IPOB is not a terrorist organization by US Law because it is a registered business concern in the State of California in the United States !

“However by Nigerian Law a foreign company which is not registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission by the provisions of Section 53 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004 is illegal. And by Section 54 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act it is a criminal offense for a foreign company to operate in Nigeria without registration! So all this while IPOB was operating in Nigeria illegally! I can assure you that the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation will soon initiate criminal proceedings against promoters and members of the proscribed IPOB for infringement of Section 54 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act for operating illegally in Nigeria.” – Eagle Online

– Sept 25, 2017 @ 09:43 GMT