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An Onitsha Magistrate's' Court, presided over by Mrs Vivian Udedike, on Wednesday granted bail to 50 members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
The MASSOB members were arrested on June 5 by a combined team of policemen and soldiers, who raided their offices in Onitsha and its environs.
They were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful possession of fire arms.
Mr Okechukwu Odimgbe, counsel for MASSOB, prayed the court to grant bail to the accused as their offences were frivolous, null and void, arguing that they were not arrested in the scene of any incident.
Earlier, Mr Tunde Odeola, the Prosecuting Officer, prayed the court not to grant bail to the accused as their offences were serious and would attract years of imprisonment if convicted.
Granting bail, Udedike said that each of the accused should be bailed on the condition of bringing a surety who would have a national identity card and N100,000.
She adjourned hearing on the matter to July 18.
Speaking outside the court, Mr Uchenna Madu, MASSOB Director of Information, told newsmen that the police had not arraigned the injured MASSOB members in court.
“We are demanding that some of our members injured should be arraigned also in the interest of justice,’’ Madu said.
