Court acquits 50 alleged IPOB members of terrorism charges

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has discharged and acquitted 50 individuals, including four women, accused of being members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and facing terrorism allegations.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho ruled that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) failed entirely to establish any case against the defendants.

Upholding their no-case submission, the judge stated that the prosecution had not provided credible evidence linking the accused to the charges filed against them.

Consequently, Justice Omotosho struck out the three-count, preferred against the defendants, who had been sued by the Inspector-General of Police.

The charge sheet, dated January 10 and filed on February 9, accused the defendants of being intercepted and arrested on December 12, 2023, at Umunze Village in Uga, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The arrests were carried out by officers of Anambra State Command, led by Collins Eruogwu, in collaboration with a local vigilante group.
According to the charge, the defendants were alleged to have assembled inside a 911 truck with registration number XA-139 BDN and were engaged in a meeting connected to acts of terrorism.

The police further claimed the defendants were in possession of 48 black caps, 25 red caps, and six orange caps, all bearing IPOB emblems, as well as charms purportedly designed to grant the “spiritual power of disappearing while carrying out terrorist transactions.”

The charge also alleged that their gathering aimed to promote illegality and terrorise residents of Anambra State, an offence said to contravene Section 12 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Justice Omotosho’s ruling absolves the defendants of all charges due to a lack of substantive evidence provided by the prosecution.