The Federal Government of Nigeria has formally called on Canadian authorities to immediately withdraw what it described as an “erroneous” and “misleading” classification of certain Nigerian political parties as terrorist organisations.
In a statement issued on Friday by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government expressed deep concern over a recent ruling by a Canadian Federal Court. The judgment, which was part of proceedings in the refugee application case of Nigerian national Douglas Egharevba, allegedly labelled some political parties in Nigeria as terrorist groups.
Egharevba had arrived in Canada in September 2017 and sought inland refugee status under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria expresses serious concern over the recent ruling by a Canadian court which inaccurately designates certain political parties in Nigeria as ‘terrorist organisations,’” the statement said. “This baseless classification is not only reckless, but also constitutes an unacceptable intrusion into Nigeria’s internal affairs and political processes.”
The government emphasized that the court’s sweeping generalisation against entire political parties—one of which has produced three democratically elected presidents—was not only unfounded but dangerous.
“It is alarming that such a designation could imply that all members of the named political parties are potential terrorists. This is not only false but completely unacceptable,” the statement added.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s status as a sovereign nation with a robust constitutional and legal framework, the government noted that all registered political parties operate lawfully and play essential roles in the country’s democratic system.
“To associate legitimate political entities with terrorism, without credible evidence, grossly misrepresents Nigeria’s democratic landscape and could incite unnecessary tension,” the statement warned.
The Nigerian government urged Canada to retract the designation and avoid any actions that could be perceived as legitimising politically motivated narratives against the country.
“Diplomatic channels remain open for constructive dialogue. We urge the Canadian Government to consult relevant Nigerian institutions to address and rectify this serious misjudgment,” the ministry said.
The Federal Government also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the global fight against terrorism, highlighting significant progress made in combatting extremist groups within its borders. It called on the international community to disregard the court’s “misguided” ruling and continue to support Nigeria’s democratic governance and adherence to
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