|
Listen to article
|
Indigenous People of Biafra’s (IPOB) lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor is in court challenging the legality behind the Federal Government’s proscription of the pro-Biafra group since September 2017.
In an interview with correspondents on Sunday, the IPOB counsel alleged that some governors have joined the fray to be vicious on arrested IPOB members in their domain.
Ejiofor alleged that state governors, particularly Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, have seemingly sworn to be ruthless on arrested IPOB members in their states.
Read Also: Imo Attack Sponsored By Politicians, Not IPOB – Uzodinma
According to him, both governors brazenly intimidate and arm-twist judicial officials to truncate speedy hearing and release of arrested IPOB members, so that they would spend longer times in police custody.
He said; ‘I can give you a classical example of the state’s intervention of judicial process particularly as it affects matters concerning the IPOB. Early last year, 2020 in Rivers State, way before the EndSARS protest, some people were arrested, detained, and taken to court for frivolous charges of being terrorists and belonging to IPOB.
‘We were ready to defend them at the courts, but Governor Wike ensured that no judicial officer treated the matter
‘IPOB members are arrested, driven to Abuja where they are locked up and tortured at the behest of the Imo State governor, (Hope Uzodimma). The two states are where state governors are openly canvassing and giving directives to the judicial officers.
‘The two governors have instructed their state’s judiciary not to entertain matters affecting IPOB because they want to deal ruthlessly with the IPOB members. The tension that was raised by the military inversion in Orlu was instigated by the state governor,
‘Hope Uzodimma. He invited the police and army to come and arrest IPOB members. But where are these security officials when bandits keep unleashing mayhem and terror in the northern states.
‘They’ll rather rush down into Imo State to arrest our brothers, molest our mothers and sisters and then subject some of them to rape’.
Ejiofor went further to speak on why IPOB’s proscription is a politically motivated move to quieten the group’s call for self-determination, their formation of the ESN (Eastern Security Network), giving an update on the case he filed against the government, concerning the December 2019 havoc that was unleashed on him by security forces at his hometown in Oraifite, Anambra State.
THE EASTERN UPDATES
