UK Won’t Grant Asylum To Violent Members Of Pro-Biafra Groups Like IPOB

The UK Government has announced that it will not grant asylum to members of terrorist groups in the Eastern part of Nigeria like IPOB.

2.2 Exclusion
2.2.1 IPOB is proscribed as a terrorist group by the Nigerian government, and members of the group and its paramilitary wing – the Eastern Security Network (created in December 2020) – have reportedly committed human rights violations in Nigeria (see Indigenous People of ‘Biafra’ (IPOB) and various media articles in Activities and Clashes between state and IPOB)

2.2.2 MASSOB has been banned, but is not a proscribed terrorist group in Nigeria. It too has reportedly been involved in violent clashes with the authorities (see Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of ‘Biafra’).

2.2.3 If a person has been involved with IPOB (and/or an affiliated group), MASSOB or any other ‘Biafran’ group that incites or uses violence to achieve its aims, decision makers must consider whether one (or more) of the exclusion clauses under the Refugee Convention is applicable. Persons who commit human rights violations must not be granted asylum.

2.2.4 If the person is excluded from the Refugee Convention, they will also be excluded from a grant of humanitarian protection.

2.2.5 For further guidance on the exclusion clauses and restricted leave, see the Asylum Instructions on Exclusion under Articles 1F and 33(2) of the Refugee Convention, Humanitarian Protection and Restricted Leave.

While they described IPOB as a terrorist group which has been proscribed by the Nigerian government, MASSOB was designated as ‘banned’ but not a terrorist group.

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