The Enugu State High Court has declared the South-East Governors’ Forum’s proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) illegal and unconstitutional.
Justice A. O. Onovo on Thursday ordered Kanu the defendants to pay him the sim of N8 billion as damages.
Background
In 2017, the South-East Governors Forum, under the leadership of former Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, took the decision to proscribe IPOB’s activities.
This move had far-reaching consequences, as it prompted the Federal Government to classify IPOB as a terrorist organization merely three days later.
Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, through his legal representative, Mr. Aloy Ejimakor, approached the court seeking to overturn the proscription.
Kanu’s primary argument was that the proscription of IPOB was unlawful, considering that it was an organization comprised of Nigerian citizens from various ethnic groups, including the Igbo, who advocated for the principle of self-determination.
Kanu also contended that his arrest, detention, and subsequent prosecution were not only illegal but also constituted a violation of his fundamental rights.
Furthermore, Kanu urged the court to officially declare that the act of pursuing self-determination is not a criminal offense and should not serve as a basis for arrest, detention, or prosecution.
He additionally sought the court’s intervention to compel the defendants to compensate him with N8 billion for the physical, mental, emotional, and psychological distress he endured.
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Court’s decision
In his judgment, Justice Onovo, held that the proscription of IPOB was both unconstitutional and illegal.
Furthermore, the court ordered the defendants to pay Kanu N8 billion in damages and mandated them to issue a public apology through newspaper publications.
Kanu’s lawyer, Mr. Ejimakor, talking to the press expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, emphasizing that it reaffirmed the hope of the common man in the judiciary and had the potential to impact thousands of lives.