Aloy Ejimakor, counsel to the imprisoned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has said that every member of the defunct Eastern region of Nigeria is a bona fide member of IPOB.

According to him, naming IPOB as a terror sponsor is akin to naming Arewa of the North and Oduduwa of the Southwest as terror sponsors.

He shared on X, “This truth is self-evident: Every native of former Eastern Nigeria/Biafra (or NDIGBO) is ethnically a bona fide member of the Indigenous People of Biafra. So, naming IPOB a’terrorist sponsor is akin to naming AREWA or ODUDUWA terrorist sponsors. It’s a misnomer that cannot stand.”

Ejimakor had earlier criticised the Federal Government for listing IPOB among the sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria.

The list issued on the website of the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NSC) included Finland-based factional leader of IPOB, Simon Ekpa, and the publisher of Desert Herald, Tukur Mamu.

Others include Abdulsamat Ohida, Mohammed Sani, Abdurrahaman Abdurrahaman, Fatima Ishaq, Yusuf Ghazali, Muhammad Sani, Abubakar Muhammad, and Sallamudeen Hassan.

Also on the list are Adamu Ishaq, Hassana Isah, Abdulkareem Musa, Umar Abdullahi, Abdurrahaman Ado, Bashir Yusuf, Ibrahim Alhassan, Muhammad Isah, Salihu Adamu, Surajo Mohammad, Fannami Bukar, Muhammed Musa, Sahabi Ismail, Mohammed Buba, Adamu Hassan, Hassan Mohammed, Usman Abubakar, Kubara Salawu, Rabiu Suleiman, Godstime Iyare, Francis Mmaduabuchi, John Onwumere, Chikwuka Eze, Edwin Chukwuedo, Chiwendu Owoh, Ginika Orji, Awo Uchechukwu, Mercy Ali, Ohagwu Juliana, Eze Okpoto, Nwaobi Chimezie, and Ogumu Kewe.

Other entities named include G.Side General Enterprises, Desert Exchange Ventures Limited, Eagle Square General Trading Co. Ltd, Alfa Exchange BDC, Alin Yar Yaya General Enterprises, K. Are Nigeria Limited, Suhailah Bashir General Enterprises, Igwe Ka Ala Enterprises, Seficuvi Global Company, Jama’atu Wal-Jihad, Ansarul Sudan, Islamic Province, Yan Group, and Yan Group NLBDG.

The list has IPOB among terror groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Reacting, Ejimakor described the list as contempt of court because of a pending case before the Supreme Court.

He shared on X, “The recent publication by the Federal government naming the #IPOB amongst terrorist sponsors is CONTEMPT of Court, because the case is still pending before the Supreme Court & therefore subjudice. I know this for a fact, because I personally signed & filed the appeal.” (The Guardian)

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