Abia Court Defers Ruling Against 21 IPOB Members

An Abia State Magistrate’s Court sitting in Aba North, presided over by Ogbonna Adiele yesterday deferred ruling and adjourned further hearing on cases MAN/132c/2017 and MAN/133c/2017 involving seven members of the banned Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) accused of terrorism, kidnapping, unlawful association among others.

The court, however, deferred the ruling and adjourned to October 6 following a fresh charge initiated against another 14 suspected IPOB in suit number MAN/135c/2017 brought by the police.

The court had on September 18 remanded seven IPOB members- Chinonso Ude (30), Maduabuchi Echereodo (25), Ugochukwu Ikechukwu (32), Okechukwu Daniel (20), Ifeanyi Sunday (33), Okezie Jeremiah (26) and Chizuruoke Nwauzo (27) following charges of terrorism, kidnapping and use of offensive weapons initiated against them by the police in suit number 132C/2017 and MAN/133C/2017.

However, 14 others were yesterday arraigned on an eight count charge of conspiracy to commit murder, arson, unlawful association and stealing.
This, however, forced the magistrate to defer the ruling fixed for yesterday with a view to hearing the cases together.

Freshly arraigned in suit number MAN/135c/2017 were Anthony Nnamani (20), Chima Chukwumere (22), Kingsley Sunday (21), Michael Onyedikachi (26), Eze Okereke (25), Christian Sylvester (45), Etim Effiong Ade (22), Emmanuel Onwukwe (29), Ndubusisi Ukoha (29), Ogbonna Nwaji (24), Salvation Stephen (22), Chizoba Nwosu (21), Ejike Elom (21) and Kelechi Anusie (26).

Meanwhile, all the accused persons had been remanded in prison custody after their plea were taken.