The Nigerian Government has reportedly discovered an account in Paris to which some Nigerians have deposited huge amount of money to aid the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The government is reported to have discovered the account in the French capital following intelligence reports. It was also gathered that the pro-Biafran group allegedly invaded Nigerian embassies in Hong Kong and Spain and created some scenes in the last 72 hours.
It is understood that the group’s action was possible reaction to its recent proscription by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Chief Judge of the Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati, on Wednesday granted an interim injunction proscribing activities of the group.
But before the outlawing of IPOB and its activities, Nigeria’s Minister of Information Lai Mohammed alleged that its financial headquarters was in France.
The minister made the allegation while defending government’s decision to seek the group’s proscription. And sources have said the French government has promised Nigeria it would take action as soon as the account was known to it.
"Intelligence gathering has led to the discovery of an account in Paris into which some Nigerians in the Diaspora remit funds to support IPOB" a top security source told The Nation newspaper.
"From the said account, funds were being drawn for the activities of IPOB at home and abroad. "The relevant security agencies did a thorough job and provided incontrovertible evidence on the basis of which the government proscribed the terrorist organisation.
"These Nigerians in the Diaspora are using France as a clearing house.“Investigations also confirmed inflows into the account from Holland, Hungary, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Turkey, Singapore and other parts of Europe.
"In fact, a football tournament was recently organised in Senegal to raise funds for IPOB. "As a matter of fact, the account is being used to get money from a lot of people in the Diaspora.
"What many Nigerians did not know is that the Minister of Information and Culture was talking on the basis of credible intelligence report".