Nigeria declares Biafra separatist movement terrorist group

ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria's military has named the Indigenous People of Biafra a terrorist organization, targeting a movement that 50 years ago tried to create a state for the Igbo people.

Friday's statement comes amid rising calls for secession in the southeast. Leader Nnamdi Kanu was freed earlier this year following a 2015 arrest that led to protests.

Nigeria's military claims the movement has formed a secret service and national guard.

The movement could not immediately be reached for comment.

The movement in May marked 50 years after civil war saw more than one million people die trying to create a state for the Igbo people. The Igbo are one of Nigeria's largest ethnic groups but remain largely marginalized in politics.

Nigeria also faces the threat of Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants.