The federal high court in Abuja has discharged and acquitted 50 suspected members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) charged for alleged terrorism.
On Friday, trial judge James Omotosho ruled that the police failed to establish a prima facie case against the 50 defendants, including four women.
The trial judge upheld the no-case submission of the defendants.
Omotosho said the prosecution team failed to provide any credible evidence linking the defendants with the allegations.
The judge struck out the three-count charge filed against the defendants.
THE CHARGE
The inspector-general of police had sued the 50 defendants in a charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/8/2024.
The police alleged that the defendants assembled themselves in a truck to engage in a meeting in connection with an act of terrorism.
The police claimed that the “gathering was for the purpose of promoting illegality in order to terrorise the people of Anambra”.
The police said the offence is contrary and punishable under section 12 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The Cable
