Jubilation in Abia as court grants bail to 5 IPOB members 1 year after

www.odogwublog.com reports that an Umuahia, Abia State magistrate court, today,  granted bail to five members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who were last year arrested at Arongwa Osisioma area of the state.
The IPOB members were arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Services while returning from Abuja where they visited the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu at Kuje prison.
They were granted bail  to the tune of N200,000 each with a guarantor, but were however to remain in prison custody until the bail conditions are met.
Two count charges of unlawful association and criminal conspiracy with Niger Delta Avengers were preferred against the IPOB members by the prosecution counsel.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
 Counsel to the DSS who got the protection of the court for his identity to be concealed,  told the court that the the accused were arrested based on intelligence over some moves they made.
He added that the various text messages found on their phones were also tendered in court as evidence.
But countering his argument, the defense Counsel contended that the IPOB members had their inalienable right of free association as guaranteed by the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
Insisting that the accused have rights to visit anybody of their choice without molestation or harassment, the IPOB counsel therefore, urged the court to grant bail to the accused who he said were innocent.