Supporters of the Nigerian separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have claimed that it has not been listed as one of the world's deadliest terror groups on the 2023 Global Terrorism Index (GTI). The government designated the movement as a terrorist organisation in 2017 and its leader is currently in detention on terrorism charges. AFP Fact Check found the claim is false: IPOB was ranked the tenth deadliest terror group, according to the latest global index by the Australian-based Institute for Economics and Peace.

"It’s FALSE that IPOB is now ranked the 10th deadliest terrorist group in the world by the Global Terror Index. IPOB was only mentioned as having been declared a terrorist group by Nigeria. IPOB is registered. Terrorist groups can’t be registered. If you try, you’ll be arrested," reads a tweet posted on March 16, 2023.

Aloy Ejimakor, the author of the tweet, is special counsel to IPOB's detained leader Nnamdi Kanu.

Other accounts affiliated with IPOB also shared the claim, including self-proclaimed IPOB faction leader Simon Ekpa who was recently arrested (archived here) in Finland.

Ekpa has been accused of using social media to incite violence during the 2023 Nigerian general elections.

He repeatedly threatened “open war” and violence against those who came out to vote in southeast Nigeria in violation of his stay-at-home orders, which called for a curfew and lockdowns.

However, other factions of IPOB repeatedly tried to disown him.

Global Terrorism...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiTWh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy55YWhvby5jb20vcG9z...