Chidi Samuel|
A High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Friday freed the over 100 IPOB protesting women arrested by the police in Imo State earlier in the week.
The court discharged and acquitted the women after they were remanded in prison for allegedly taking part in a protest by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for the released of Nnamdi Kanu, the on the run leader of the separatist group.
The ruling followed a bail application filed by the lead counsel to the defendants, Ejiofor Uche, which was not opposed as the plaintiff, Imo State Police Command, had no representation in court.
The court, thereafter, granted the bail application and discharged the women unconditionally.
Reacting to the ruling, the spokesperson for the group, Mr Emmanuel Powerful, commended the decision of the court.
He stressed that the ruling was necessary and mandatory because the protesting women had not violated any law or rule of the Nigerian Government.
According to Powerful, IPOB was more determined to achieve its objective, revealed that the group would embark on a mega protest soon.
The women were arrested last week while participating in a peaceful protest in Owerri to know the whereabouts of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Following their arrest, the police arraigned them before a Magistrate’s Court in the state’s capital after which they were remanded in prison on Monday.
The arrest and subsequent detention of the protesters had sparked criticism by prominent Nigerians and human rights groups in the country.