The High Court of Abia State has granted bail to the 51 Jewish adherents arrested and detained in Umuahia some days before Christmas.
The detainees, which included 10 women and several elderly men, were charged and remanded for professing membership of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and engaging in a public procession the authorities termed ‘a terrorist act’.
In the 51 separate bail applications filed by their Counsels, Barristers Aloy Ejimakor, Toni Nwofor and Augustine Ezeokeke, it was argued that the charges were unknown to law; and even so, that the offenses charged were bailable.
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The High Court, in a special session convened for the purpose hearing the bail applications, heard the applications, on Thursday, and granted the detainees bail on the same lenient terms and conditions.
It would be recalled that Barr. Aloy Ejimakor, a special Counsel to IPOB, had made efforts throughout the Christmas period to get the matter quickly set before a court for hearing.
It appeared that the efforts paid off as the hearing was convened on Thursday specially for the matter while the Abia judiciary has not fully resumed work.