Court orders AG, NPS to produce Biafra detainees

A Magistrate Court sitting in Enugu North, Enugu state, yesterday ordered the AttorneyGeneral of the state and the Nigeria Prisons Service to produce members of the Ralph Uwazurikeled Biafra Independent Movement (BIM).
The 32 MASSOB-BIM members were arrested on May 22 during their celebration of Biafra anniversary in Enugu, and were subsequently arraigned on treason charges.
However, the matter suffered two adjournments on the instance of the Police owing to the failure of prison officials to produce the accused persons in court.
Our correspondent reports that when the matter came up on Tuesday, it was the same story as none of the accused persons was brought to court.
This prompted the defense counsel, Barrister C. O. Obiekwe to heap the blame on the Attorney General and the Nigeria Prisons Service.
He told the court that the Federal Government in collaboration with the Attorney-General of Enugu state and the Nigeria Prisons “are doing everything not to set them free, knowing that they have not committed any offence. We are practicing democracy not the dictatorship that is being displayed in this matter.
This is one of the cases that portrays this government as anti-democracy.
“I have gone to the Department of Public Prosecution, (DPP), and I was told in confidence that they have concluded their job and sent their report to the AttorneyGeneral. However, every effort I made to see the Attorney-General has failed.
I have gone there up to six times.
The last time I went, he said he does not want to see anybody, that he was tired.
Obiekwe did not spare the Nigeria Prisons, who he insisted had no genuine reason not to bring the accused persons to court.
He said: “Prison authorities have no genuine reason not to bring them to court; the other time they said they had no staff, this time, no vehicle.
By my checks, they brought 17 other accused persons to court today.
So, why did they not go back to bring the other 32 persons? “These people are freedom fighters, they have not committed any offence known to law; that’s why I call this government dictators, I’m ready to face them.”