By Dansu Peter
Apparently reacting to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki's position that the declaration of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB was illegal, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has said the Defence Headquarters did not DECLARE the Indigenous People of Biafra as a terrorist organization but merely made a "PRONOUNCEMENT that will give further or the right step to be taken", report according to Punch Newspaper detailed
According to Punch Newspaper, The army chief made the comment at the Nkwegu Military Cantonment Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, on Monday while inaugurating the “Operation Python Dance11” exercise for the South-East geopolitical zone.
The Senate President, Bukola Saraki had yesterday said the declaration by the Nigerian military that the Indigenous People of Biafra is a terrorist organization is unconstitutional.
He also said the ban placed on the group’s activities by the South-East governors did not follow due process.
But the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, in an apparent reaction to Saraki’s position insisted that the declaration of IPOB as a terrorist organization was done in accordance with the nation’s constitution.
He said, “What the Defence Headquarters said was to make a pronouncement, it was not a declaration, but this has given room for the right step to be taken. I think the government is doing the right thing, it is not that we overstepped our bounds, we are still within the limits of the law.
“What the military said was to set the ball rolling and to bring to the awareness of the public that this is what this organisation is about. I am happy that the government has done the right thing rightly.”ment should deal with them.”
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