UK Government Makes U-turn, Recognises IPOB As Terrorist Organization

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Post created on 10:36 am

 

 

The government of the United Kingdom has made a U-turn on its treatment of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), recognizing Nigeria’s classification of the group as a terrorist organization

In a May 2022 update of its asylum policy, the UK government excluded members of the group from seeking refuge in England.

Reports had it in April 2021 that the UK was planning to grant asylum to persecuted members of the separatist group, as part of its refugee policy published at the time.

The policy, at the time, was for asylum to be granted to “persecuted” members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)”.

The UKVI, a division of the Home Office, directed its decision-makers to consider if a person “who actively and openly supports IPOB is likely to be at risk of arrest and detention, and ill-treatment which is likely to amount to persecution”.

If the person can prove persecution, then the IPOB member or supporter could be granted asylum.

A few days after the policy notes were published, the UK government took them down, following complaints from the Nigerian government.

In its May 2022 policy update referred to IPOB as a terrorist organization to be excluded from its asylum program over alleged links to violence in the south-east.

“IPOB is proscribed as a terrorist group by the Nigerian government, and members of the group and its paramilitary wing – the Eastern Security Network (created in December 2020) – have reportedly committed human rights violations in Nigeria,” UKVI said in its policy notes.

It added that “MASSOB has been banned, but is not a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. It too has reportedly been involved in violent clashes with the authorities”.