Biafra Agitation: 26 IPOB Members Granted Bail In Umuahia

UMUAHIA—A Magistrate court in Umuahia  yesterday  granted bail to the 26 members of the pro-Biafra groups who were arrested Monday during their protests over the continued detention of their leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu. This came as the  Enugu Police
Command paraded eight suspects who participated in the said protests in Enugu.

The 26 men 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 Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was also deeply involved in the protest.

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, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) 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.

Ruling on the bail application, the Magistrate, Mrs. Linda Ugboaja 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.

In Enugu,  a statement  made available to newsmen by the Police Public Relations Officer,PPRO,Mr. Ebere Amaraizu revealed that the eight arrested suspects conducted themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.

“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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