Tobi Adebayo
The United Kingdom has rescinded its decision to grant asylum to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
This was announced in a fresh update posted on the UKVI website.
Recall that the Federal Government had in 2017 declared IPOB as a terrorist group.
However, the UK, in 2021, released new guidelines to on how to consider and grant asylum applications to IPOB members.
Making a u-turn, the new policy read in part : “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.
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“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.
“If a person has been involved with IPOB (and/or an affiliated group), MASSOB or any other ‘Biafran’ group that incites or uses violence to achieve its aims, decision makers must consider whether one (or more) of the exclusion clauses under the Refugee Convention is applicable.
“Persons who commit human rights violations must not be granted asylum.”
