American Sued By Igbos For Calling IPOB Terrorist Group

A suit has been filed against some Igbos in the United States against Ivan Sascha Sheehan, the Executive Director of the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Baltimore for referring to the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation.

The group is known as the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) and Sheehan was taken to the US District Court of Maryland for what the former calls defamation of IPOB in his article published on October 4, 2021, in The Washington Times titled: 'US ignores small African terrorist group at its peril'.

According to reports, AVID is made up of men and women who have served in different US militaries.

Sheehan is accused of conspiring with the Nigerian government against IPOB.

A 15-count defamation was instituted against Sheehan and the University of Baltimore by AVID in the suit signed by the group’s lawyer, Fah Law group in the US and made available to pressmen.

AVID is demanding compensation worth thousands of dollars from Sheehan.

“Plaintiff, American Veterans of Igbo Descent(“AVID”)is comprised of Igbo Ethnic men and women who have served in different branches of the United States military.

“All Igbos are Biafrans and widely regarded as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (“IPOB”), who have been targeted by the Defamatory article as published by the Defendants.

“On or about Monday, October 4, 2021, Defendant Sheehan published in The Washington Times, an “ANALYSIS/OPINION” defamatory article headlined “U/S/ ignores small African terrorist group IPOB at its peril”, the suit partly reads.