SAN FRANCISCO, September 19, (THEWILL) – It has been revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari signed a presidential proclamation proscribing the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)on Sundaybefore his departure for New York.
According to THISDAY, Buhari took the move in order to take the heat off the army and to ensure that due process is followed.
THEWILL recalls that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), last Friday, declared IPOB a “militant terrorist” organisation the while South-east governors subsequently issued a statement, proscribing the group.
Although, Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has explained that the DHQ only made a pronouncement and not a declaration on the group, the military has, however, come under severe criticism from various quarters, including Senate President Bukola Saraki, for the declaration.
But the newspaper revealed that Buhari was keen on signing the proclamation before his departure for New York in order to have the right response in the event that the question over the declaration by the army was posed by other world leaders who have been watching events in Nigeria.
“The issue was extensively debated between Buhari, the AGF and other aides before he left for the UN General Assembly and the president decided to sign the declaration before leaving for New York, so he could say that due process was being followed if the question was raised by other world leaders at the UN,” the newspaper quoted the sources as saying.
It added that said with the signing of the proclamation, “the Presidency had effectively initiated the formal process of proscribing IPOB in accordance with the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011”, and that “it had also paved the way for the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) to head to court to give legal backing to the presidential proclamation.”
About the Author
