An Abakaliki Magistrate Court on Wednesday granted bail to 88 members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) who were arrested by the Ebonyi State Police command in Abakaliki during this year’s Biafra day celebration.
Policemen had arrested the MASSOB members during an interdenominational church service held to commemorate the 2016 Biafra Day.
Witnesses said the congregants were mid way into prayers at the Nkaliki primary School, Abakaliki local government area venue of the service when the police stormed the place to arrest them.
Eighty eight people were arraigned before an Abakaliki Magistrate court on a four counts 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 18th July 2016 for definite hearing.
