The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), has retracted its earlier report that ranked the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB as the 10th deadliest terror group in the world in 2022.
The IEP, in its annual Global Terror Index report earlier posted on its Twitter handle, said that IPOB recorded 57 deaths from 40 attacks with 16 persons injured.
However, according to Sahara Reporters, the Institute, in a statement published on its website on Monday, March 27, 2023, clarified that IPOB is a pro-Biafra group that seeks to establish an independent state of Biafra.
The Institute further stated that the activities of IPOB are peaceful, adding that although the group had been labeled a terrorist group by the Nigerian government and its paramilitary arm alleged to be behind various attacks, the IPOB has never claimed responsibility for any of the attacks.
The IEP said that the clarification is a necessary update to differentiate between the peaceful activities of the IPOB and allegations against the group.
The IEP statement entitled: "Statement regarding Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) & the Global Terrorism Index," reads: "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," IEP stated.
IEP Update, a response to global protestations— Ejimako.
Mr. Aloy Ejimako, counsel to Nnamdi Kanu.
Reacting to the update, Aloy Ejimako, special counsel for Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB on Monday said the IEP update is a response to formal protestations and public condemnations against its earlier report.
In a statement, Ejimako said: “A few days ago, several news outlets published a story to the effect that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has been ranked the deadliest terrorist group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) of the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), based in Australia.
“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”. Others, including the Indigenous People of Biafra, strongly condemned the alleged ranking.
“Many other persons known to me, especially in America, particularly the American Military Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), which is based in America collaborated with me in formally protesting the alleged ranking to the 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.
“Apparently, in response to these formal protestations and the quantum public condemnations, the GTI (IEP) earlier today reconsidered and published a clarification that did not state, imply, or even suggest indirectly that it ranked IPOB as the 10th terrorist group in the world.
“The clarification states in part: ‘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, ’” Ejimako quoted the IEP.
IEP's' earlier GTI report is a conspiracy —IPOB.
IPOB crowd.
IPOB had refuted and condemned the earlier IEP report, describing it as a conspiracy by the Government of Nigeria and some foreign agencies "to blackmail and demonize IPOB globally."
In a statement following the report, IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful lamented that a reputable organization such as IEP would lend itself " to publish fictional and inaccurate accounts in their 2022 terrorism index report," and challenged the Nigerian government and the IEP to provide any verifiable evidence to support their claims "that IPOB is involved in any kind of violence let alone in terrorism."
The pro-self-determination group urged the IEP to protect its earned reputation by sending independent investigators rather than relying on their agents in Nigeria who may have been compromised.
While insisting that the " IPOB remains peaceful but resolute in the pursuit of Biafra liberation through UN supervised Referendum," the group further advised the US government to "stand as a global Human Rights Defender and not join the oppressors to abuse the rights and privileges of ordinary citizens."
The IEP's GTI report had listed the Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates as the most vicious and deadliest terrorist groups in the world in 2022 and in the last eight years.
They were followed by Al-Shabaab, ISK, and Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM).
In the chart report, IS killed 1,045 in 410 attacks with 644 injured. Alshabab killed 784 in 315 attacks with 1,016 injured.
Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISK) killed 498 in 141 attacks with 832 injured. Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) killed 279 in 77 attacks with 215 injured. Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) killed 233, according to the GTI.
Human Rights.
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