IPOB Arrested Members Discharged

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) members who have been held in prison for over three years have been discharged. 

The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, on Thursday discharged six members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) .

IPOB lawyer, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who made this known in a statement said that the six IPOB members were held in prison for over three years on what he described as baseless and trumped-up charges.

Ejiofor said that the discharged IPOB members who include Goodluck Agbulum; Ikechukwu V. Amaechi; Eleka Onyekachi; Felix Sampson; Nnamdi Peters and Nwankwo Loveday, were on May 29, 2020 “illegally” arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), in Odiokwu Community, Ahoda East Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to Ejiofor, “They were subsequently brought before the Chief Magistrate Court Port Harcourt in charge no: PMC/863C/2020, on a three count charge of conspiracy, terrorism-related offences and belonging to a terrorist organisation.

“Upon being arraigned on the above listed frivolous but unfounded three count charge, before a court that lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the charge, these innocent Biafrans were subsequently remanded in prison custody, simply because they were on the peaceful candle-night procession observing Biafrans fallen heroes day.”

He further stated their preliminary separate applications for their bail filed on August 13, 2020 were not entertained by the court as the court declined the jurisdiction to hear the application.

The six IPOB members were later formally charged before the Federal High Court and were subsequently granted bail on December 8, 2021 “on a very onerous but tough and stringent conditions.

“Several applications to get the charge struck out following the failure of the prosecution to present their witnesses to prove their case, were not indulged by His Lordship who insisted on availing the prosecution with every reasonable opportunity to prosecute their case.

“However, during the proceedings on the last adjourned date, His Lordship warned of the consequences of the prosecution’s “hide and seek” if he failed to proceed with his case at the next adjourned date, and magnanimously granted them one more adjournment and ordered for Hearing Notice to be served on the Prosecution, which Order we dutifully complied with.

“Today, being the 23rd day of November 2023, the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt Rivers State, Court No. 1, Per Hon. Justice P. I. Ajoku finally delivered a landmark Ruling on our Application seeking the termination of the criminal trial.

“In holding our application as meritorious, His Lordship consequently struck out these most ridiculous charges and accordingly discharged these six innocent Biafrans. They have since gone home as free men.”