Twenty pro-Biafra protesters have been charged for treasonable felony at a Magistrate’s court in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
Peaceful protest over the arrest of director of Radio Biafra.
Photo:NAN
The suspects took part in the protest by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday, October 19, in the Rivers state capital.
Indignant with the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the director of Radio Biafra, supporters of Biafra took to the street of the city, disrupting social and economic activities there.
Vanguard reports that Chief Magistrate Andrew Jaja remanded the suspects in prison custody and adjourned the matter to Tuesday, October 27, for their counsels to argue issues bordering on their bail application.
Those arraigned in court were charged for treasonable felony. During the protest they allegedly destroyed the national flag hoisted at the premises of a bank and chanted hate songs against the Nigerian state.
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The three-count charge against them read in part:
“…on October 20 2015, at about 2:00p.m., at Ikwerre Road in Port Harcourt, the suspects and others now at large, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Treason and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37(2), of the criminal code, Cap C38, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
“… on same date and time did without lawful authority demonstrate and chant war song that Hausa is not part of Biafra, which caused panic in the neighbourhood, instilled fear on reasonable grounds with intent to intimidate or cause panic within the state and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37(1) of the criminal code, Cap c38 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
“…all the suspects and others now at large on the same place and time, did wilfully and unlawfully damage the Nigeria flag, which was hoisted at Zenith Bank Plc. Ikoku Branch in Port Harcourt, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 451 of criminal code, Cap c38 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.”
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The suspects were not allowed to take plea and were all represented by different counsels.
Chief Magistrate Andrew Jaja said that councils’ arguments did not convince him to grant the suspects bail. Therefore, he adjourned the matter till October 27, when each of the counsels will address the court on their bail application.
Ayo A. Ajaghe, the state counsel who prosecuted the case, insisted that the magistrate’s court lacked powers to hear the matter. According to him, the offence for which the suspects were charged was treasonable and attracts capital punishment if convicted.
Meanwhile, 24 other protesters have been brought to the Criminal Investigation Department in the state for similar offence. However, it is not yet clear when they will be charged to court.
Recently, Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers state, has issued a stern warning to protesters who disrupted social and economic activities in Port Harcourt and stressed that such demonstrations would no longer be tolerated by his administration.
. TREASON: 20 Pro-Biafra Supporters Arraigned In Rivers State . on Honeylandamp; . | . ..
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