From Paul Ibe, Enugu
Detained members of the Biafra Zionist Movement will on the 19th of February know whether they will regain their freedom or not as a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu will be ruling on the application for bail.
The application was filed by the leader of the group, Benjamin Onwuka and 10 others facing a treason charge
The activists’ counsel, Olu Omotayo, had in the application maintained that:
“That the ‘Biafra Zionist Federation’ (BZF), is a peaceful movement for the liberation of the entire Biafra people of former Eastern region of Nigeria and the Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF), is not an outlawed organization in Nigeria”.
However, in a counter affidavit filed on behalf of the Federal Government by D.E. Kaswe, a Senior state counsel in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, it maintained that Biafra Zionist Federation is a violent movement seeking to restore back the “Biafra Republic”, a political structure earlier disbanded by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Federal government insisted that the activists should not be granted bail because they were hypnotized by their Biafra Zionists Federation.
Trial judge, D.V. Agishi after taking arguments from both sides, adjourned the matter to 19th February 2015, for ruling on the bail application.
Members of the Biafra Zionist Movement were arrested after they attempted to secure audience with the director of programmes at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service. The group was seek an avenue to broadcast the plight of the “Biafran people”.
The attack by the police got many of the members injured and one person died.
