Tinubu, in his address on Wednesday morning, commended the armed forces and other security agencies for their sacrifices, noting that they are making progress in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and violent crimes.
The Special Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, has accused President Bola Tinubu of interfering in the ongoing judicial proceedings through his remarks about IPOB during his October 1, 2025, Independence Day address.
Tinubu, in his address on Wednesday morning, commended the armed forces and other security agencies for their sacrifices, noting that they are making progress in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and violent crimes.
He identified IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), as the groups responsible for terror activities in South-East Nigeria.
“We see their victories in their blood and sweat to stamp out Boko Haram Terror in North-East, IPOB/ESN terror in South-East, and banditry and kidnapping,” he said.
“We must continue to celebrate their gallantry and salute their courage on behalf of a grateful nation. Peace has returned to hundreds of our liberated communities in North-West and North-East, and thousands of our people have returned safely to their homes.”
Reacting to the President’s remarks in a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Ejimakor said Tinubu’s remarks disregarded the fact that IPOB’s legal status was still under consideration by the judiciary.
“President Tinubu’s remarks about IPOB amount to interference with the judicial process because the proscription of IPOB is subjudice, as it still lies before the Supreme Court, and Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is on trial for alleged offenses that are wholly predicated on the proscription of IPOB,” Ejimakor stated.
The lawyer argued that by commenting on a matter still before the courts, the President risked undermining due process and the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
Ejimakor, who has been at the forefront of legal efforts to secure the release of IPOB leader Kanu, further stressed that the proscription of the group remains legally contested and should not be treated as settled.
SaharaReporters also reported on Wednesday that IPOB rejected President Tinubu’s Independence Day address, describing it as “divisive and hate-filled”.
The group accused the President of deliberately misrepresenting its activities by tagging it a terrorist organisation.
IPOB’s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, stated that the group, under the leadership of Kanu, is peaceful and globally recognised as pursuing self-determination through nonviolent means.
The group further stated that no court of law had ever linked IPOB or its leader to terrorism, kidnapping, or killings. IPOB cited a ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which held that the group was not a terrorist organisation.
