The decision of the UK Government to grant asylum to pro-Biafra group members which include members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) did not go down well with the Nigerian government.
To that end, the federal government kicked against it and described it as a policy that will encourage the separatist struggle that the pro-Biafra groups engage in. The federal government which spoke through the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed also stated that granting asylum to the pro-Biafra groups will undermine the war against insecurity that the Nigerian government is fighting for some years now. Mohammed then suggested that if the UK government goes on with the asylum policy, then the Nigerian government may have to take some serious actions as it relates to its relations with the UK.
The issue of asylum for the pro-Biafra groups have been generating mixed reactions from members of the public since it was announced. The matter became so serious after the Nigerian government stated its position on the issue. Many people have been wondering what the UK government will do next concerning the matter. Will the UK government ignore the Nigerian government's kicks against it and go on with the asylum or will it halt the process?
UK government takes action.
Following the kick against the asylum for pro-Biafra groups especially by the Nigerian government, the UK government has decided to take down the notice about the asylum. In making that decision known, the UK government sent a email to Radio Now which was signed by Hannah Dawson, senior communications officer-Newsdesk at the Home office. The UK government said the policy is being reviewed. It went on to promise that the reviewed policy would be uploaded once it is ready.
How it may affect IPOB and MASSOB.
The UK government did not give a time frame when it will upload the reviewed version of the policy. It means that the issue may take time and delay prospective asylum applicants who had wanted to take advantage of the asylum policy announced earlier. Again, the reviewed policy may bring in some changes that may exclude some people especially known members of the pro-Biafra groups from getting asylum.
After the Nigerian government kicked against the asylum policy, the UK government seemed to have heeded that and decided to take down the policy with a promise to review it. Now, apart from excluding known members of the pro-Biafra groups, the UK government may align with the federal government in doing the review.
The reviewed policy may require asylum applicants to meet certain conditions that IPOB and MASSOB members may not meet. In a worst case scenario, the UK government may simply announce that it is scrapping asylum for the pro-Biafra group since Nigerian government is fiercely opposing it.
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