By Pascal Ibe

Introduction

Since November, when claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria began to spread in 2025, Biafran agitators have been on the front lines of it, calling for an end to it.

One of the agitators, Oge Nkere, the self-proclaimed Acting Prime Minister of the autopilot faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Biafra Republic Government In Exile (BRGIE), was seen, lobbying and meeting with US officials, including a serving Senator, Ted Cruz, to prevail on President Donald Trump to sanction Nigeria over the alleged Christian genocide.

BRGIE is headed by Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen, currently jailed in Finland over his involvement in terrorist activities in Nigeria’s southeast over the years.

These Biafran agitators, who also alleged that the Christian genocide is also happening in southeastern Nigeria, claimed that the Fulani are deliberately slaughtering Christians in the region.

These allegations have continued to this moment.

Claim

Another pro-Biafran agitator, Ngọzi Orabueze, who also identifies herself as an Acting Prime Minister of BRGIE and Deputy Prime Minister of the United States of Biafra, claimed (archived here) that a man named  Paul Okechukwu was sent to prison by a Muslim judge, Hauwa J. Yilwa, for being a Biafran and Christian.

She also claimed that the judge did this because she did not want a Christian nation to exist.

“Hauwa J. YILWA (pictured) a Muslim Judge in Nigeria yesterday Jailed  Paul Okechukwu (a Biafran) to 20 years for being a Biafran to STOP the new Christian Nation of United States of Biafra.”

The post, which has generated over 9,000 views, had many people who believed the story as she narrated it was true.

Verification

FACTWATCH Nigeria reviewed reports from Nigerian news websites and found that the suspect, Okechukwu, 40, was tried and sentenced to 20 years in prison for belonging to the IPOB after he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Yilwa, the presiding judge, handed down the sentence on 22 October after the suspect pleaded guilty to the first of two counts filed against him by the federal government.

The prosecution alleged that Okechukwu, who hails from Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, belonged to IPOB in Imo State in 2021, contrary to section 16 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013.

Several other news websites reported this story here and here.

IPOB as a terrorist group

A federal high court in Abuja in September 2017,  declared the activities of the IPOB as “acts of terrorism”.

This followed an application filed by Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

In its ruling, Abdul Kafarati, said activities of the secessionist group in any part of the country “especially in the south-east and south-south regions amounts to an act of terrorism and illegality”.

“That an order proscribing the existence of IPOB in any part of Nigeria, especially in the south-east and south-south regions, either in groups or as individuals, by whatever names they are called and publishing same in the Official Gazette and two national dailies is granted,” the court held.

In January 2025, the Court of Appeal, Abuja, affirmed the proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organisation.

Verdict

The pro-Biafran agitator, Otabueze, twisted the report of the man who was jailed for being a member of a proscribed group in Nigeria, and claimed that it was because he is a Christian and Biafran. Therefore, the claim is FALSE.