₦airaland Forum

Two days ago, the senior special advicer to president Buhari on media, Garba Shehu, gave reasons why government procribed IPOB as a terrorist organisation. Garba Shehu said that

"IPOB members had already declared a territory, printed passports and currencies. They had made an open threat to seize neighbouring states, they are attacking people illegally and they are taxing money by force, so what else do you need to act upon?"


IPOB is yet to declare any state of Biafra. What IPOB has said is that it wants referendum in certain areas. A group that is calling for referendum cannot be 'siezing' areas. I am yet to see or hear of any civilian being attacked by IPOB. As for this claim that IPOB is taxing money by force, if this were true, wouldnt we have heard about it by now? If IPOB had actually being going around forcing people to part with their hard earned money, those who dont support Biafra would have been the first to shout about it. Why is it we are hearing about this from a presidential spokesman?


The group publicly threatened the nation's sovereignty, their leader,Nnamdi Kanu also closed down diplomatic channels to have mediation talks.


How can referendum be threatening the sovereignty of a country? Did Scotland threaten the sovereignty of Britain when it called for referendum? Is IPOB an armed group threatening to go to war? Is self determination now a crime?

How did Nnandi Kanu shut diplomatic channels? We have seen pictures of Nnamdi Kanu meeting with South East Senators, the South East governors forum, Ohaneze President, former vice president Alex Ekwueme and many others. Does this look like a man who has closed down mediation channels?


printing illegal passports and currencies. 

Anyone who listend to Nnamdi Kanu on Radio Biafra knows that Kanu has always lambasted Uwazuruike for purportedly printing Biafran passports during his days as MASSOB leader. Has anyone actually ever seen this Biafran passport or currency printed by IPOB? If they exist, they must be circulating somewhere. Where is it? Who has seen any picture of such? The only Biafran currency that exists is the one used during Biafra, 50 years ago. Even I have some.

They have shown the willingness to invade other neighbouring states. They have raised concerns in neighbouring Kogi and Benue states. They have said they are interested in taking over Bayelsa and Rivers.

Invade violently or by peaceful protest? What terrorist organisation in the world uses peaceful protest? How are they taking over Rivers,Bayelsa,Kogi and Benue? IPOB wants referendum, how is referendum forcefully taking over areas?

the federal government did not declare killer herdsmen as terrorists because they are “only criminal gangs” an


If the fourth most deadly group in the whole world that has killed thousands of people all over Nigeria is just a criminal group to this administeration, but an unarmed IPOB that has never killed anyone is a terrorist group, then God help us all. I rest my case

Funny thing is that there are many foolish people who will believe this without proof

I believe that IPOB will overturn its proscription because I have seen a situation where an unarmed group that has never killed anyone can be tagged a terrorist group

Rossikki:
These IPOB people showed they are amateurs, by openly talking of creating a Biafra Secret Service.

If you are going to create such a thing, you don't say anything about it. And you deny it exists if anyone raises the issue. It is not 'secret' if the federal govt knows about it.

If only they spent less time badmouthing Nigeria, and more time studying and researching how to form a really deadly and effective operation, they wouldn't be in this mess.

No it was not dumb at all because they were breaking no law by forming the BSS.

If I like, I can gather a group.of friends and call them the "Enugu secret service", I am breaking no law and police are free to investigate us.

The problem IPOB had is that Nigeria ied by a tyrant and his suppoters back him to perpetrate executive lawlessness.

What is wrong with a group of people wearing clack clothing and beret and saluting each other? Is that against the law? Did they touch anybody? Do they bear arms?

Some people now ask "should Buhari wait until they bear arms?"

The answer is yes, unless Buhari has credible information that they are about acquire arms or have already done so. The law does not operate on.what people think, it operates on what it says.

What stops Buhari thinking that any group out their might acquire arms and send the Army after them?

The law does not even give the President power to send the Army after anyone, that happens in military rule not democracy. The only time the president is allowed to send the Army after people is when those people have risen up with arms. IPOB did not do this.

When a President cannot even obey the laws of a country, there is no hope for that country

IPOB will keep exposing the tyranny of Buhari

This is one of the best write up's I have read all year long.


I remain ever loyal to the independence of my Igbo nation from the 1914 British colonial arrangement commonly refered to as "Nigeria"

OmoEpe:
The difference between the two is the carving out of territories out of the present Nigeria land mass. On this count both IPOD and BOKOHARAM are the same that deserves same treatment

The carving out of territories? When did IPOB carve out territories? You think that territories are carved with word of mouth? IPOB just said it wants referendum

So they are that large but they are still begging the North for restructuring?

Nice one. We must all expose Buhari as the dictator he is

Ezigbonmadu:
IPOB ticks all the box for your definition.
Add to the fact that like ISIS and BokoHaram, IPOB
1. Have flags (heardsmen don't)
2. Lay claims to geographical area within a sovereign nation (heardsmen don't, they're nomadic)
3. Have expansionist agenda. Kanu boldly claimed that he has been offered 5 south east states but that wouldn't do, he wanted Rivers and Benue. I'm sure Delta would soon follow, then cross rivers etc.
Let me know if you're still not convinced IPOB is a terrorist group despite it's many similarities with ISIS and co.

Which terrorist organisation in the wirld do you know who have never killed anyone and do not bear arms?

preciousmaro:
Please the Army should help us curb this terrorist group, before they turn into another Boko Haram

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dshOe8W-OHc

Is there something wrong with you? What is banned is IPOB. The agitation for Biafra is not banned becausr the law of Nigeria does not allow agitstions to be banned

MightyHand:
stupidity of the highest order, Youmean FG should wait until kanu burn Nigeria down, b4 any action is taken? You must b lookmanu

It is the law that you must wait until a person commits a crime before you criminslise them.

How would feel if the police arrested you tomorow because they think you might go for robbery? You would be shouting that you are yet to do anything.

Area is in Ikom?

Basically, if you from the North, you get treated differently

IPOB is the only organisation I know that was declared terrorist without killing anybody

The will of the people shall be

Napoleondegreat:
Okezie onye igbu mmadu na adi mma
Anyi abiala na ala Aba
Okezie lekwa anyi gbagbuo.

That is what I call sheer determination of the people. It cant be stopped by bullets

The terrorist in chief, Buhari, it will not be well with you for all the people your dictatorial government have killed

OPC killed many people

IPOB is yet to kill anyone

Ahmedhussain3463:
are u asking the federal government to continue to take nnamdi kanu's threat for granted considering his huge supporters that are subservient to him ?

What Im asking the federal govt to do is follow the law. If the federal govt has credible information against Kanu, the police should step in, investgate and prosecute if need be.

But when the Nigerian govt starts using the Army to do what it has no constitutional mandate to do such as settle scores, take over the job of the police, invade homes, shoot unarmed people, all based on theory and assumptions, that is terrible.

These are the things that happen in military rule, not democracy

sarrki:
Ipobs are terrorist organization

The argitation for Biafra remains a legitimate right under chapter 4 of the constitution


The government can ban IPOB all they like but they cannot ban the agitation for Biafra.

Ahmedhussain3463:
we stood by jonathan firmly when e declared emergency rule in the 3 northeastern ravage state by bokoharam because life was be coming more and more unbearable under bokoharam.when nnamadi kanu was promising to burn nigeria down if the fg refuse to fixed a date for biafra plebicite,did any of u cautioned him?ofcourse the ans is no,the manner in which the fg had interfer to quell the nnamdi kanu's madness is a blessing in disguise if not so this country would have been experiencing a political upheaval now that will lead to spectre of lost of lives and property.if am lying ask ur governors and also analysed why they gave immutable support to army and also joining fg in proscribing ipob.

The law does not work on assumptions. If Nnamdi Kanu said he he will burn Nigeria down, the government has no right to invade his house until there is credible proof that he is preparing to carry out his threat or is already carrying it out.

To make a prediction that Nnamdi Kanu will definitely carry out his threat and invade his house with the Nigerian Army is wrong on two counts

1) The Army has no legal right to invade a persons house over a criminal matter. This is the constitutional role of the police

2) To criminalise a person before they actually commit a crime just because of mere assumption is terrible.

striker07:
Extremely sad, what a nation we live in, not a biafra supporter but i will never support this.Nigerian Military attacking and killing unarmed people is terrible.Police should have been deployed over this, because they are trained for this kind of operation.May God save our country.

I dont think some of these Nigerians who support their military shooting unarmed realise that the issue of Biafra is not the only reason a soldier can shoot a person for.

I have seen Soldiers shoot people for reasons that are far less than Biafra. So if people keep supporting this murder of innocent people, it could be any of us tomorow.

Resonable people condemn the shooting of unarmed civilians

TheKabal:
http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/FS_Hate_speech_ENG.pdf
_{Study and grow wise, that your ventures .. selfish or selfless maybe profitable.}

If you can be convicted for hate speech, you can be convicted for terrorism by the state.

But nobody in IPOB has been convicted of any hate speech. Even Kanu's case is still in court. Did the judge in chambers determine that hate speech is an act of terrorism even though the definition of terrorism is that it must have an act of violence

Aufbauh:
"Not only we will have to repent for the sins of bad people, but we also will have to repent for the appailing silence of good people"- Martin Luther King Jr.

Without more ado, i will want to draw our attention to the proscription of IPOB as a Terror group by the court of competent jurisdiction (The federal high court holden at Abuja). The honourable justice relying on the Terrosim Prevention Acts 2013 as amended, through the submission of the Honourable Attorney General affirmed and declared the IPOB as a Terror group.

It is therefore no longer an issue of legality or constitutionality anymore as this honourable court has put paid to such groose that IPOB is a Terrorist Organization.
The contextual and implications of this declaration are contained in section 1 & 2 of the Terrorism Prevention acts 2013 as amended.

In the light of the above, [b]it will be a disservice to ourselves and country if we continue to allow, promote or support the activities of the IPOB as a Terror group on this forum henceforth.[/b ]. Illegality does not begat legality.

It is my considered opinion that IPOB threads and its proponent be put in it proper place as seen from the eyes of the law. This is the matter of the law, and not necessarily of the facts. Terrorism is terrorism, hence Nnamdi Kanu is no different from Shekau.

However, in the coming days i expect the opposition party particularly the PDP to stand up to the ruling party APC by constituting a formidable and virile frontier. They have wasted enough of our time chasing shadow through mischievous secession agitations.

Now that the IPOB is technically and tactically defeated, we the patriotic Nigerians extend our hands of fellowship to our disgruntled brothers to join us in building a better Nigeria for Nigerians.

Thank you all!
Long live Mr. President!
God bless Nigeria!

I dont know what you are talking about but there is no going back on the independence of Igbo land from the colonial arrangement of 1914 called Nigeria.

IPOB may be banned but the agitation for Biafra cannot be banned under the law

TheKabal:
You sound intelligent.
And, I see this everyday. How well respected, and educated Igbo men and women turn themselves to clowns when they attempt to make excuses for IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu.

Understand this, you cannot defend IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu and retain you dignity. Because , you need to constantly LIE.

Like your doing now. Everything Nnamdi Kanu has said is recorded.

As I said earlier, spoken words, wether hate speech or not cannot be violence unless backed up by action.

Lets just assume that Nnamdi Kanu said he is going to kill everyone in Nigeria, the speech alone is not an act of violence unless he has actually started killing people.

If hates speech never translates to action, it remains hate speech. Nobody can become a terrorist by just mere talking.

Throwback:
How can IPOB claim to represent anybody or tribe in Nigeria when such tribe already has its democratic and constitutionally recognised representation and leadership?

Not a single Igbo elected political officer has expressed a desire for Biafra. Not even the ones from Kanu's village.

The world will never recognise IPOB has anything but a miscreant group attempting to employ terrorism to usurp power in a democratic society.

Who is IPOB to decide for Igbos when an international recognised system of leadership and political representation is already existing, and such leadership has not even demanded for anything?

Who then is Nnamdi Kanu?
Does he have the constitutional authority bestowed on a local government councillor or chairman? Does he wield the representative powers of a state legislator or a federal legislator withing his tribe and region? Those he possess the executive authority of a state governor within his tribe and region?

Was the Scottish demand not championed by the established and constitutional leadership of Scotland withing the UK? Was the failed Catalonian demand not championed by the existing democratic leadership of Catalonia region within Spain?

Why then does Kanu think that IPOB must be listened to nationally when it has not even won local and regional support of the Igbo political and constitutional leadership?

Can a group just come up from nowhere and begin to demand for referendum on behalf of a people that already have democratic leadership and constitutional representation who are yet to table such a demand?

IPOB is nothing and any nuisance from IPOB will be met with the constitutionally authorised fury such delusions deserve.

IPOB may be many things but the purpose of this thread is to juudge if they are terrorist or not. It my belief that they are not

BALLOSKI:
Terrorists!

Those British guys could tell us that they can't shut down their radio station because of freedom of speech.


I hope they say that when ISIS set up a radio station in the UK.

How can you allow a station to air hate speech capable of inciting violence like it did in Rwanda? No wonder, they all watched Rwandan kill themselves without offering any help to arrest the carnage. They really want war here so they can sell arms.

This is to show you that how Nigeria classified IPOB a terrorist group is not how the rest of the world sees it. So its either Nigeria is right and the rest of the world wrong, or the other way round

The dictionary definition of a terrorist organisation is:

"An organisation that employs the use of violence to achieve a political aim"

In other words, if IPOB was using violence to achieve Biafra, it could be termed a terrorist organisation.

It should be noted that while hate speech can bring about violence, hate speech in its self is not violence. Violence has to contain an act, not just words.

IPOB has been in a few violent clashes with the police, Army and other security agencies. Because the violence was as a result of clashes and not a calculated attempt to attack, in other to achieve Biafra , it is not an act of terror.

Being involved in violence is not enough to tag one a terrorist, the person must be using the act of violence to further a political aim.

IPOB has not used violence as a way to get Biafra.

You have to hand it to Nnamdi Kanu, I dont know any non political figure who can pull the crowds he did. Under the rain or sun, people come out to hear his message of freedom.

Anyone can kill a man, but no one can kill an ideology. My Igbo nation shall one day be an independent country, just a matter of time

Good one from Huffpost. Im glad that the international media is helping to expose Buhari as the dictator and terrorist he is.

Nice one from Ankio Brigs.

Danladi7:
And you think the whole world didnt watch and listen to nnamdi kanu speeches and BSS,BNS looking for hausa in the buses to kill?

guy,the world is not dump like biafran urine lickers

The world has a way of judging who judt "talked" and those who move beyond talking to actually killing people such as Boko Haram and the Nigerian Army.