By John Ikani
The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) has retracted its previous announcement that ranked the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as the 10th deadliest terror group worldwide.
The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) releases the GTI report annually, and the 2022 edition identified the Nnamdi Kanu-led IPOB as the 10th deadliest terror group in the world.
However, in a statement posted on its website on Monday, the GTI referred to IPOB as a pro-Biafra secessionist movement, rather than a terrorist group.
It read, “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a pro-Biafra secessionist movement based in Southeast Nigeria that aims to establish an independent state of Biafra.
“IPOB was proscribed as a terrorist group by the Nigerian government in 2017. In recent years, IPOB has been linked to several attacks, which have been attributed to its paramilitary wing, the Eastern Security Network (IPOB-ESN). The group has not claimed responsibility for any of these attacks.
“It is important therefore to differentiate between the peaceful activities of the group and its alleged involvement in violent activity.
“We have today updated the Global Terrorism Index 2023 to reflect this necessary clarification.
“Institute for Economics and Peace.”
Reacting to the development, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu’s special counsel, stated that the retraction was informed by widespread condemnation of the ranking.
In a statement, Ejikamor said that he and others had collaborated with the GTI branch office in New York, USA, to seek clarification that there was no such ranking or that the GTI Report was misleading.
“The publications caused widespread stir and condemnation from many, including my humble self, whereby I had made a viral tweet stating that the ranking was ‘false,'” Ejikamor said.
“Many other persons known to me, especially in America, including particularly the American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), which is blessed in America collaborated with me in formally protesting the alleged ranking to GTI branch office in New York, USA. What we sought was simply a clarification to the effect that there was no such ranking or that the GTI Report was misleading.”
