Court frees 44 IPOB members from detention
- A magistrate court sitting in the Bayelsa has struck out a case against 44 members of IPOB
- The Bayelsa state police command had charged the accused persons to court on three count charges bordering on conspiracy, beach of public peace and unlawful gathering
- In delivering judgement, the court struck out the case against the detained IPOB members on the ground that it had a no case submission
A magistrate court sitting in the Bayelsa state capital, Yenagoa, has set free about forty-four members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from police detention.
The Sun reports that the IPOB members were arrested in October 2016 by men of the Joint Military Task Force code named Operation Delta Safe during their meeting at Okaka area of the state capital and handed to the police authorities for prosecution.
READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu granted bail by High Court in Abuja
The Bayelsa state police command charged the accused persons on three count charges bordering on conspiracy, beach of public peace and unlawful gathering.
But counsel to 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.
Nwosu said the prosecution, the Nigerian Police, failed to produce a credible witness to substantiate the three count charges against the IPOB members.
Legit.ng learnt that in delivering judgement, on Tuesday, April 25, the court struck out the case against the detained 44 IPOB members on the ground that it had a no case submission.
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They were subsequently discharge and acquitted.
The presiding magistrate, Magistrate Penawei Mukoro, before striking out case, declared that the prosecution was unable to establish a prima-facie case against them.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, has been whisked away by operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Prisons Service after he was granted bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Legit.ng reports that Nnamdi Kanu and the other three accused persons were taken in a green prison vehicle escorted by four other black hilux vans.
Although, it is still unclear when the bail conditions will be perfected by the IPOB leader, but Kanu's relatives left immediately to make arrangements for the release the IPOB leader.
In the Legit.ng video below, watch as Nnamdi Kanu emerges from court after being granted bail.
Source: Legit.ng
