After nearly four years in custody, 24 Biafran agitators have been released by a state High Court.
The judge ruled their trial violated constitutional protections against double jeopardy.
An Ebonyi State High Court has ordered the release of 24 Biafran freedom fighters who had been held in prison custody since 2020 on charges of conspiracy and treason. The ruling, delivered on Thursday by Justice I. P. Chima, marks the end of a prolonged legal battle for the group, who were the last set of 36 individuals arrested in connection with the case.
The defendants were first taken into custody on May 24, 2020. They remained behind bars while facing trial for nearly four years. However, the court set them free after their legal team filed a preliminary objection challenging the basis of their continued trial.
According to their lead counsel, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the defense argued that their clients’ rights had been violated. He pointed out that the Constitution forbids trying any person twice for the same offence. Section 36(9) of the 1999 Constitution, which deals with the rule against double jeopardy, became the central point of their argument.
Justice Chima agreed with the defense and ruled in favor of immediate release. He noted that the legal position presented by Ejiofor was valid and could not be ignored.
Speaking after the verdict, Ejiofor described the judge as courageous and well-grounded in law. He also criticized the prolonged detention of the defendants, saying they had suffered unfair imprisonment despite being cleared by several other High Courts in the state in earlier rulings based on the same facts.
