•Says I’m being prosecuted because of my Biafran identity
By Chukwuemeka Chimerue, Chief Editor, Chikwas Onu Ikpe //
For Biafra Writers
Publisher: Chijindu Benjamin Ukah
March 28, 2018
ABUJA— There was a heated outburst today inside the courtroom of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, by the four IPOB defendants as the court ended its proceedings without calling up their bail applications for hearing.
The court had earlier slated today to adopt the bail applications of the four defendants namely, Bright Chimezie, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Chidiebere Onwudiwe whose charges were amended at the previous session.
Visibly angered about the development, the second defendant, Benjamin Madubugwu, said he believes the case is no longer between the Federal Government of Nigeria and IPOB members but between the Fulanis and IPOB, adding that his application was deliberately delayed becausr he is a Biafran.
“I know why this is happening to me because I am an Igbo man, a Biafran, that is why it’s like this.
“All these herdsmen killing people everywhere in Nigeria, how many have been arrested? Am in prison, I’ve not seen them in prison.
“Why would someone put me in prison for 3 years without telling me my crime? How can they charge me for unlawful possession of firearms when I have license? It was duly licensed. You(DSS) have a copy of the license. Go and ask the DSS when they invaded my house, they took the copy of my gun’s license and they know, yet, they’re still keeping me hostage,” he lamented.
Madubugwu added that for over three years he has been detained without trial, the international community remained silent in his plight even as his health condition deterioriates in prison custody.
He asked, “Why is the world keeping quiet? Nobody wants to hear me out. Nobody wants to help me. Is it because we’re Biafrans? Why are we being neglected? What is my crime for Christ’s sake? I have been keeping quiet for long and I would no longer keep quiet. This is pure injustice.”
However, as they(defendants) refused to return to prison custody pending when a new date to consider their application is fixed, it took the intervention of thr defense lawyers led by Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor to calm down the restiveness and charged atmosphere created by the aggrieved defendants.
The court, however, finally slated April 13, 2018, to adopt their bail applications.
THE BIAFRA TIMES
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