British High Commission Clarifies Position On IPOB, Says Group Not Designated Terrorist Organisation In UK

The British High Commission, Friday evening, said reports that the Indigenous People of Biafra has been designated as a terrorist group in the United Kingdom are false.

The media had been awash with reports that the British government had classified the pro-Biafra group as a terrorist group.

However, the UK High Commission in a release made available to THE WHISTLER in Enugu described the reports as inaccurate, saying it only acknowledged that IPOB’ was proscribed by the Nigerian government which designated it as a terrorist group.

According to the release entitled, ‘British High Commission Abuja Statement on the UK Government Publication on the 3 April Country Policy and Information Note: Nigeria: Separatist Groups in the South-East’, the High Commission stated that, “We are aware of inaccurate reporting circulating in the media and online that the UK Government has added the Indigenous People of Biafra to the UK’s list of terrorist groups or organisations banned under UK law. These reports are untrue. The IPOB is not a proscribed organisation in the UK.

“The inaccurate reporting relates to the 13 April 2022 publication by the UK Government of a revised Country Policy and Information note (CPIN) on separatist groups in SE Nigeria, including the IPOB. CPINs provide country of origin information (COI) and analysis of COI for use by UK Government decision-makers handling particular types of protection and human rights claims.

“All asylum and human rights claims made in the UK are considered on their individual facts in accordance with our obligations under the UN Refugee Convention and European Convention on Human Rights, taking into account relevant background country information and case law.

“The CPIN on separatist groups in South East, including IPOB, provides a general assessment of risks faced by individuals belonging to those groups. These assessments are based on an analysis of publicly available country information obtained from a wide range of reliable sources, including media outlets, UK and other governments: local, national and international organisations, and non-government organisations.”

The release added that ‘CPIN also acknowledges that the Nigerian government has proscribed IPOB as a terrorist organisation, some members of IPOB have reportedly used violence against the state and members of the public, and advises that persons who have committed human rights abuses must not be granted protection.”