44 IPOB members released from prison after Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail

Forty-four members of the Indigenous People ‎of Biafra (IPOB) have been released from police detention. This came after a magistrate court sitting in the Bayelsa state capital, Yenagoa, gave a ruling to the effect.

The IPOB members according to The Sun, were arrested in October 2016 by men of the Joint Military Task Force code named ‘Operation Delta Safe’ while they were having their meeting at the Okaka area of the state capital and handed over to the police authorities for prosecution.

The arrested persons were charged by the Bayelsa state police command on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, breach of public peace and unlawful gathering.

However, counsel representing the arrested IPOB members, Barr. Kingsley Nwosu, had argued before the court for a no case submission, describing the arrest and trial of the IPOB members as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and violate the fundamental rights of people to freedom of gathering. He also said that the Nigerian Police failed to produce a credible witness to provide evidence to support the three count charges against the accused persons.

While delivering judgment on Tuesday, April 25, the court struck out the case against the detained 44 IPOB members on the basis that it had a no case submission.

They were subsequently discharged and acquitted. The presiding magistrate, Magistrate Penawei Mukoro, before striking out the case, declared that the prosecution was unable to establish a prima-facie case against them.

This comes as a double celebration for the Biafra family as jubilations are going on in different parts of the country following the news that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra has been granted bail.

Kanu was granted bail today, April 25 by  by Justice Binta Nyako of Federal High court, Abuja on health grounds. His bail, however, did not come without stringent conditions which seem out-of-this-world.

Meanwhile, after he was granted bail, Kanu was whisked away by operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Prisons Service alongside the other three accused persons. They were taken in a green prison vehicle escorted by four other black Hilux vans.

Even though it is still not clear when the bail conditions will be perfected by the IPOB leader, Kanu’s relatives left immediately to make arrangements for his release.