IPOB Proscription, Terrorist Designation Unconstitutional – Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki/ Twitter

Senate President Bukola Saraki has said the proscription of activities of members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and declaring them a terrorist group are unconstitutional.

Saraki made this disclosure on Monday via a Facebook post.

He said “the announcement of the proscription of the group known as Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by Governors of the South-east states and the categorization of the group as a ‘terrorist organisation’ by the Nigerian military are unconstitutional and does not follow due process.

“Our laws make clear provisions for taking such actions and without the due process being followed, such declaration cannot have effect. I am sure the President will do the needful by initiating the right process. This will go a long way in demonstrating to the world at large that we are a country that operates by laid down process under every circumstance. So, those who have been hammering on this point should maintain their cool.

Restoring peace

Saraki however, commended the military for restoring peace and order in the region.

“We must commend the military for their efforts in restoring peace to different parts of the country and sustaining the unity of the country. However, in the face of provocation, the military should allow themselves to be guided by their training which emphasizes respect for human rights, even in war. Also, giving the nature of this particular situation, the military has every reason to be hesitant in the use of force.

“Also, it is my view that we should not over-stretch the military. We need to protect our military against dissipation of their fighting strength. And this means we need to strengthen the police and equip them with the capacity to deal with civil crisis. That is why we, in the National Assembly, are already reviewing the Police Act and also looking at the possibility of enabling other para-military agencies to help in curbing civil unrest and maintenance of law and order.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *