First and foremost, it is only the security agencies that can determine the veracity of that claim, whether the IPOB are a terrorist organisation or not. This is because there are conditions to be fulfilled by any organisation to be tagged a terror group.
However, what we could see is that the organisation, especially the leader, Nnamdi Kanu, made a number of statements that pointed towards insurgency, not terror. When someone is seen on social media (whether in a fake or an authentic video) openly soliciting arms and ammunition to fight the battle for self-determination in the country, that is a step beyond the red line.
Yes, people have a right to associate, to hold an opinion and propagate that opinion within the ambits of existing laws. The United Nations also said people have a right to self determination; but a situation where you want to wage war against your own country has a different connotation. That is the area we are looking at. The IPOB has set up some outfits which are confrontational to the existing government. It is like belittling the capacity of the existing government and no government will accept that.
If the movement does not use arms against security agencies, fine. If you ask the Department of State Services and the National Intelligence Agency, they are the ones to determine what the status of IPOB is. Government must also take the path of dialogue, which the IPOB should initiate by stating their grievances in writing to the Federal Government.
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