Biafrans Celebrate As Court Releases 35 IPOB Members From Prison

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Port Harcourt has lashed at the Nigeria Police and the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for unlawfully
imprisoning 35 members of the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for 37 days in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The IPOB members were arrested in Port Harcourt during a solidarity rally for US
President, Donald Trump on January 23.

Chief Magistrate Sokari Andrew-Jaja discharged the 35 IPOB members because of lack of diligent prosecution by
the Police and the Director of Public Prosecution in Rivers State.

The Chief Magistrate expressed anger that for 37 days after the IPOB members
were arrested and detained, the Police and the DPP were not able establish the
crime the suspects committed.
There was wild jubilation by thousands of IPOB members who thronged the
court to show solidarity with the
members of IPOB immediately the court ordered their release.

The Police had herculean task keeping
them away from the court complex
during the court session.
Counsel to the IPOB members, David
Onyema, accused the police of
deliberately keeping the arrested
suspects in prison for no cogent reason
known to law.
“This matter has been adjourned several
times simply because the Police and DPP
failed to come up with any evidence
against my clients.
“Those men have been remanded in
prison for more than thirty days. Then,
why do you keep holding them if you
don’t have anything against them.
“The Magistrate told them that if there is
no noble cause against the defendants it
will be in the interest of the Police and
the DPP to stand down the trial.