Detained members of the Biafran Zionist Federation, BZF, failed to secure their freedom on Thursday as a Federal High Court in Enugu threw out their bail appplication.
Leader of the group, Barr. Ben Onwuka and 10 others have been standing treason trial since September, 2014 for allegedly trying to make a live broadcast at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service.
Amid the presence of stern looking security operatives, who surrounded the court premises as well as inside the court hall, Justice Dorothy Agishi, the trial judge refused to grant the bail application moved by the counsel to the Biafra activists, Barr. Olu Omotayo.
Justice Agishi declined to grant the bail sought by the defence counsel because of the prevailing political situation in the country as well as the fact that the court could not guarantee that when granted bail, the accused would not continue with their agitation.
Reacting, counsel to the pro-Biafran Group, Barr. Olu Omotayo told the newsmen that he was disappointed for not getting bail for the accused persons, who he described as “peaceful, non-violent freedom fighters”.
On the way forward, he stated that “I am disappointed that the court could not grant them bail. However, I’ll consult with my clients on the way forward as the case has been adjourned till March 19″.
Speaking to journalists, the National Coordinator of BZF, Comrade Gilbert Ogbu, said: “We are annoyed about the court ruling. This is Nigeria’s way of handling the Igbo case. We are a peaceful organistion. We don’t fight anybody or cause havoc. We want the world to know that our aim for fighting is for our liberation”.
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