Treason: Court Remands 20 Pro-Biafra Protesters In Custody …As PDP Condemns APC’s Stand On Protest

Outgoing Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi (right), handing over to his successor, Mrs Winifred Eyo-Ita in Abuja, yesterday.

A Port Harcourt Chief Magistrate Court in Rivers State presided over by S.D. Andrew-Jaja, on Wednesday, remanded 20 pro-Biafra supporters in custody for alleged trensonable offences.
The accused persons are Benson Sunday (21), Emmanuel Ali (25) Ukeme Monday (32), Chibuzor Ezechina (33), Charles Eze (29), Egbo Okechukwu (24), Chibona Ifion (47), and John Douglas (20).
Others are, Ezenwa Alphenus (51), Wori Endurance (30), Chinwmere Nwolu (25), Henry Eze (36), Friday Uzunwa (22), Igbodo Abio (34), Akaniyene Uwem (22), Eni Iboro (27), Obinna Stephen (26), Monday Ocha (37), Obinna Ibekwe (27), and Kingsely Ezengorie (24).
The accused persons, and others now at large, are facing a three-count charge bordering on felony, treason and causing panic in the society.
The accused persons were dragged to the court by the State Police Command for illegally protesting for Biafra Nation in the state as well as allegedly destroying Nigerian flags, which according to the Police, was treasonable offence.
The Police Prosecuting Officer told the court that the accused persons, on October 20, 2015, at about 2pm, on Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of the court, did conspire amongst themselves to commit felony to wit treason.
The prosecution also said that the accused persons, and others now at large, on the same date and time, did without lawful authority, demonstrate and chant war songs that Hausa was not part of Biafra, which caused panic in the neigbourhood and installed fear on reasonable grounds, with intent to intimidate or cause panic.
The prosecution averred that the suspects unlawfully damaged the Nigerian Flag which was hoisted at Zenith Bank Plc, Ikoku branch in Port Harcourt, adding that the accused persons committed an offence punishable under section 37 (2), (1) and 451 of the criminal code, cap 38 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.
In his ruling, the Presiding Chief Magistrate, S.D. Andrew-Jaja, refused the bail application of all the accused persons as requested by their counsel on the grounds that he was not convinced by the arguments of the defence lawyers.
The presiding chief magistrate, while adjourning the matter to October 27, 2015, for address on bail application by the counsels, however, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody till the adjourned date.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), has expressed shock at the level of desperation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to grab power.
The party said in a statement, yesterday, that APC has stopped at nothing to cause breakdown of law and order in the state by linking the state government and the PDP to last Tuesday’s unlawful protest on the streets of Port Harcourt by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The party expressed regret that APC’s Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, who by his utterances and actions, has shown detestable penchant for mischief and blackmail to make a living, would accept to maliciously undertake the promotion of disaffection between the government and the peaceful and reasonable people of Rivers State by going on air to allege support for the Biafran agitators against Governor Nyesom Wike, a prominent apostle of one indivisible Nigeria just to score a cheap political point.
“If not for his dwarfed sense of history and his insatiable longing for material gains”, the PDP said, “Mr Chris Fynebone would have known that the stale news of Biafra agitation was long known to Nigerians and the Federal Government, who had placed a manhunt for the faceless Director of the unlicensed Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu until he was reportedly arrested by security operatives in Lagos last week, leading to pockets of sporadic protests in some parts of the country, which the Rivers State Government, along other state chief executives, have described in unmistakable terms as unacceptable.
“Notwithstanding the glaring mischief behind this unguarded statement by the APC in the State which as usual, was dished out through Mr Chris Fynebone, the PDP would as a matter of urgent public importance and due to the serious implication and weight of the allegation, urge the Inspector – General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to invite Mr Fynebone to explain and provide evidence of his high treasonable statement.”
The party reiterated that “both Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP in Rivers State are, and will continue to remain in the fore-front of the campaign for one united Nigeria against all centrifugal forces, no matter where they come from.
“Governor Wike has lived this belief, demonstrated it and is ever ready to give up his life for the corporate existence of our only country, Nigeria.
“To him and the leadership of PDP in the State, the six geo-political zones are only mere delineations for administrative convenience are not different entities from the larger Nigeria.
“If there is anybody or any group that are self-seeking, subversive and discriminatory, it’s the APC leadership in Rivers State,” the PDP noted.
It, therefore, appealed to the good people of Rivers State and residents alike, to discountenance the nonsensical comments credited to the APC publicity secretary in the state, and consign the misinformation into the garbage basket where it emanated from and rightly belongs.