Twenty-six members of the Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB) have been granted bail following their arrest on
Monday, January 18.
The Biafra agitators were arrested during their protests over the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
READ ALSO: Are Biafrans No Longer Interested In Running For Presidency In 2019?
On Tuesday, January 19, a magistrates court in Umuahia granted the agitators bail
The 26 men who were granted bail were listed in the charge sheet as members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) even though the IPOB was also deeply involved in the protest.
Meanwhile, the IPOB has begun moves to take President Muhammadu Buhari and various senior officials of Nigeria to the Hague,
over alleged inhumane acts, and persecution committed against IPOB
members and the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria by the federal
government.
READ ALSO: Are Biafrans No Longer Interested In Running For Presidency In 2019?
On Tuesday, January 19, a magistrates court in Umuahia granted the agitators bail
The 26 men who were granted bail were listed in the charge sheet as members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) even though the IPOB was also deeply involved in the protest.
Vanguard reports that the activists were arraigned on a three count
charge of conspiracy to commit felony, belonging to an unlawful society,
and possession of one cutlass, 12 MASSOB T-shirts, identity cards of
MASSOB “which is an unlawful society”.
The charge said: “The accused and others now at large, who were arrested by the police on the 18th day of January 2016 at Aba, Abia state, conspired among themselves to commit the offences which are punishable under Sections 516A(1), 64(a) and 65 (4) of the Criminal code Cap 80 Vol. III Laws of Abia state 2005.”
The police prosecutor, Mr O. O Uche, urged the court to remand the pro-Biafra activists in prison custody “to make them learn their lessons”.
But the defence counsels, Barristers Nwabueze Nwankwo and E.O Nkere opposed the prosecutor and reminded the court that the offences for which the accused were arraigned were bailable and therefore pleaded with the trial magistrate to grant them bail.
Linda Ugboaja, the magistrate who ruled on the bail application, granted them bail in the sum of N100, 000 and one surety each and the surety must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the court and must submit two recent passport photographs to the court.
The matter was adjourned to February 24, 2016 for hearing. A statement made available by the police to newsmen in Enugu alleged that the eight arrested suspects conducted themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
READ ALSO: Obasanjo Receives More Lashing Over Biafra Comment As MASSOB Lambasts Him In Its Reply
The police spokesperson, Ebere Amaraizu, said: “The arrested suspects include: Nwangwu Friday,26; Chekwube Eneta,28; Chigozie Mba,29 ; Isaiah Ogazi,28; Onyekachukwu Uzoma,43; Onyemalu Princewill,26; Israel Ani,18, and Ugwuobu Kelechi,24.
“ Investigations showed that many of them were from other states but were hired to be in Enugu for the unlawful assembly and processions. However, the command promptly charged the suspects to Magistrate Court 111, Enugu-East in Suit Number CME 121C/2016.
“When the case was called up and the counts of the charge were read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty and were remanded in prison custody while the case was adjourned to February 10.”
The charge said: “The accused and others now at large, who were arrested by the police on the 18th day of January 2016 at Aba, Abia state, conspired among themselves to commit the offences which are punishable under Sections 516A(1), 64(a) and 65 (4) of the Criminal code Cap 80 Vol. III Laws of Abia state 2005.”
The police prosecutor, Mr O. O Uche, urged the court to remand the pro-Biafra activists in prison custody “to make them learn their lessons”.
But the defence counsels, Barristers Nwabueze Nwankwo and E.O Nkere opposed the prosecutor and reminded the court that the offences for which the accused were arraigned were bailable and therefore pleaded with the trial magistrate to grant them bail.
Linda Ugboaja, the magistrate who ruled on the bail application, granted them bail in the sum of N100, 000 and one surety each and the surety must be a resident within the jurisdiction of the court and must submit two recent passport photographs to the court.
The matter was adjourned to February 24, 2016 for hearing. A statement made available by the police to newsmen in Enugu alleged that the eight arrested suspects conducted themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
READ ALSO: Obasanjo Receives More Lashing Over Biafra Comment As MASSOB Lambasts Him In Its Reply
The police spokesperson, Ebere Amaraizu, said: “The arrested suspects include: Nwangwu Friday,26; Chekwube Eneta,28; Chigozie Mba,29 ; Isaiah Ogazi,28; Onyekachukwu Uzoma,43; Onyemalu Princewill,26; Israel Ani,18, and Ugwuobu Kelechi,24.
“ Investigations showed that many of them were from other states but were hired to be in Enugu for the unlawful assembly and processions. However, the command promptly charged the suspects to Magistrate Court 111, Enugu-East in Suit Number CME 121C/2016.
“When the case was called up and the counts of the charge were read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty and were remanded in prison custody while the case was adjourned to February 10.”
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