Biafra: Court grants 88 MASSOB members bail in Ebonyi

An Abakaliki Magistrate Court on Wednesday granted bail to 88 members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) arrested by the Ebonyi State Police command in Abakaliki during this year’s Biafra day celebration.

The police had stormed Nkaliki primary School, Abakaliki local government area of the state, venue of an inter-denominational service by the group and arrested many members mid-way into a prayer session to commemorate the 2016 Biafra day.

Eighty eight people were arraigned before an Abakaliki Magistrate court on a four-count charge of conspiracy, belonging to an unlawful society, membership of unlawful group and possession of items calling for the declaration of Biafra.

All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges after the charges were read to them.

Counsel to the accused persons, Jerry Ezenyi, in his argument made application for their bail saying that their offence was bailable.

But in his own argument, the prosecution counsel, Adeola Elumaru, opposed the bail application and said that the accused persons had been arrested in the past for same offence.

In her ruling, the trial Magistrate, Stella Ogoke, granted the accused persons bail with N500,000 and seven sureties who must be within the magisterial jurisdiction.

She said the sureties must be civil servants or businessmen and adjourned the matter to July, 18, 2016 for definite hearing.

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