Court jails six MASSOB members in Asaba…for wearing Biafra regalia

SIX members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, were yesterday sentenced to prison by a chief magistrate’s court sitting in Asaba, Delta, for wearing regalia of defunct Biafra and proclaiming to be members of the group.

Sentenced to six months imprisonment on each of the three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession and proclamation to be members of MASSOB were Sunday Okoro, Ifeanyi Igbozuruike, Francis Onigbo, Sebastian Nworie, Emmanuel Nwafor and Chidi Okafor.
One of the convicted persons, Sunday Okoro, was said to have been arrested by men of Delta State police command at the Asaba end of the River Niger Head Bridge in February for being in possession of Biafra paraphernalia, including flag and chaplet.

It was reported that the next day, other members of the group  from neighbouring  Anambra State stormed the Asaba police station where Okoro was held in solidarity visit but that while on that visit, five of them were detained along with Okoro for also adorning Biafran regalia.
In jailing the accused persons, the Asaba Chief Magistrate court presided over by Mr. S.C. Ehikwe stated that it was the duty of the court to check the excesses of miscreants  out to cause confusion in the nation.

However, counsel to the convicted members of MASSOB, Mr.  W.O. Ezeanwo, said “we are not satisfied. There is no evidence that MASSOB is an illegal organization. So we are going to get the True Certified Copy, CTC, of the judgment and file our appeal in a higher court.”

Source: Vanguardnews