The United States Government has said it does not consider the Indigenous People of Biafra a terrorist organisation.

Last week, the Federal High Court in Abuja gave a judicial backing the executive order of President Muhammadu Buhari, outlawing the group and its activities in the country.

The court granted the order to proscribe the group on Wednesday.

It declared that the activities of the group constituted acts of terrorism.

The Federal Government also accused France and the United Kingdom of aiding IPOB activities.

The spokesman for the American Embassy in Nigeria, Russell Brooks, told SUNDAY PUNCHon Friday that the US government does not view IPOB as a terrorist group.

He said this in response to our correspondent’s email which asked if the United States sees IPOB as a terrorist organisation.

Brooks stated further that the US was committed to Nigeria’s unity and would support a peaceful resolution of any crisis in the country.

He said, “The United States Government is strongly committed to Nigeria’s unity.  Important political and economic issues affecting the Nigerian people, such as the allocation of resources, are worthwhile topics for respectful debate in a democracy.

“Within the context of unity, we encourage all Nigerians to support a de-escalation of tensions and peaceful resolution of grievances.  The Indigenous People of Biafra is not a terrorist organisation under US law.”

The US embassy, however, declined to comment on whether the Federal Government had asked it to treat IPOB as a terrorist organisation and to block money sent to IPOB from the US.

Brooks also did not state the US’ position on the agitation for a Biafran state.

Speaking after the court judgment last week, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, said the Federal Government would proceed to gazette the order proscribing the group.

IPOB claims ownership of Radio Biafra

Meanwhile, IPOB in a statement on Saturday said that the Radio Biafra which is said to be based outside the country neither belonged to MASSOB nor its leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.

IPOB, in a statement made available to one of our correspondents in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, explained that though MASSOB assisted in funding the radio station, the arrangement only lasted from April to July 2009.

The statement, signed by the Deputy Leader of IPOB, who is also the Deputy Director of Radio Biafra, Uche Mefor, noted that the station later went off-air and eventually shut down in December 2009.

It insisted that MASSOB, which has since transformed into Biafra Independence Movement, had nothing to do with Radio Biafra.

The statement added, “The entire humanity is hereby notified that MASSOB is not the owner of Radio BiafraRadio Biafra.

“Radio Biafra first operated as ‘Broadcasting Corporation of Biafra’ in the 1960s in the face of genocidal war of extermination propagated by the northern Nigerian military dictators who spearheaded their jihadism against the Biafrans.”

Also, MASSOB on Saturday called on the Federal Government to immediately release its members who were labelled supporters of IPOB, arrested and detained by security agents.

MASSOB said eight of its members were arrested by security agents on September 13, 2017, while they were on their way to Onitsha, Anambra State, to celebrate the group’s 18th anniversary.

Its National Director of Information, Mr. Sunday Okereafor, told SUNDAY PUNCH that security agencies should have known the difference between IPOB members and MASSOB followers.

Okereafor alleged that the MASSOB members were detained in Afara Prison in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

He added that his group had since its existence embraced non-violence as its method of agitation and wondered why police and soldiers would contemplate arresting and detaining them.

He listed the names of five of the eight arrested MASSOB members as Igwe Ndukwe, Onyebuchi Nmeregini, I. Ugonna, ThankGod Udeh and Ugwu Emeka.

He said, “We are calling on the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorney General of Abia State to release them. They should leave MASSOB alone because MASSOB is not violent. Those arrested are not IPOB members. They are MASSOB members.’’

acArmy arrests 34 hoodlums, recovers 12 guns in S’East

The Nigerian Army said on Saturday that 34 suspected cult members, kidnappers and hoodlums had been arrested in the ongoing Operation Python Dance II during some raids carried out by troops.

The army noted that seven locally made pistols and five Dane guns were also recovered from the suspects.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that while 17 suspects were arrested in Obinze community in Imo State, seven were arrested in the Ukukwa North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Also, 10 suspected cult members were arrested during two operations on Awara and Assa communities in the Ohaji-Egbema LGA of Imo State.

The army added that another group of three kidnap suspects – identified as Arinze Ugiri, 39, Okezie Nwobolo, 30, and Michael Sunday, 24 – were arrested from a hideout in Abia State.

The suspects were reportedly handed over to the police after the initial questioning.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, and 82 Division spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, who confirmed the arrests in a release, said the “outlawed IPOB members and their sympathisers” were also checkmated from extorting money from traders and motorists in Aba, Abia State.

nwabobo:
Mazi Aufbauh who was deported from Deutschland is viewing with trepidation

Aufbauh:


This is my issue with you kids. You don't know when you insult or provokes an elder by violating nairaland's rules.

I'll forgive you because today is Sunday. Ask people who spam my mention with unruly comment, I don't pity them.

But you have to modify your comment or I'll do the needful.

nwabobo:
From an Afonja newspaper, very predictable. Lol that Nigerian intelligence is able to identify an account domiciled in France which France the host nation is not even aware of

The desperation of this government has gone on to another level.

nwabobo:


I do have evidence that Aufbauh was deported from Germany.

MasterChen:


You believe afonja newspaper now?

MasterChen:


You believe afonja newspaper now?

subtlemee:
How can they be in US and see IPOB as being or not being a terrorist group? I don't blame them anyway he's not affecting them yet, maybe the federal government should allow it become a menace like boko haram so CNN can have news about Nigeria that's when they'll now SEE

nwabobo:


I believe the US embassy spokesperson. This report is different as bit named specific people unlike the other one from Tinubu's media firm which was beating about the bush.

This particular report is like reporting that the president of Nigeria is Muhammadu Buhari. That'd be an incontrovertible fact.

Aufbauh:


This is my issue with you kids. You don't know when you insult or provokes an elder by violating nairaland's rules.

I'll forgive you because today is Sunday. Ask people who spam my mention with unruly comment, I don't pity them.

But you have to modify your comment or I'll do the needful.

nwabobo:


The law is not based on emotion or sentiments. How you equate IPOB to Boko Haram bears me though, an organisation that has remained peaceful even in the face of provocation?

subtlemee:


That's how all organisations starts...PEACEFUL till it gets out of hand

nwabobo:

What they want you to hear
_{The Indigenous People of Biafra is not a terrorist organisation under US law.”}

http://punchng.com/we-dont-see-ipob-as-terrorist-organisation-us/amp/

MasterChen:


See Alinco trying to spin words.

Both were reported by Punch. You discredited the first one, but you're agreeing with this one cos it's in line with what you want to hear

Punch isn't even owned by Tinubu lol.

subtlemee:


That's how all organisations starts...PEACEFUL till it gets out of hand

Its National Director of Information, Mr. Sunday Okereafor, told SUNDAY PUNCH that security agencies should have known the difference between IPOB members and MASSOB followers.

The US embassy, however, declined to comment on whether the Federal Government had asked it to treat IPOB as a terrorist organisation and to block money sent to IPOB from the US.

nwabobo:

He said, “The United States Government is strongly committed to Nigeria’s unity. 

“The Indigenous People of Biafra is not a terrorist organisation under US law.”