Rivers on the edge: Panic as 45 IPOB, MASSOB members are arraigned (Photo)

- Forty-five members of the IPOB were arraigned before two courts in Port Harcourt

Rivers on the edge: Panic as 45 IPOB, MASSOB members are arraigned (Photo)

- The 45 were arraigned for embarking on unauthorised rally/protest

- The suspects were among some 65 people arrested by the Rivers state police command on Friday, January 20.

The Rivers State Police Command has arraigned before two Magistrate courts, 45 suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Vanguard reports that they were arraigned on Monday, January 23, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The suspects were arrested for allegedly embarking on an unauthorised rally/protest on Friday in Port Harcourt and its environs in support of President Donald Trump of the United States of America while also calling for the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

According to The Punch, the suspects were among the 65 persons the state police command said it arrested during the protest that lasted for several hours.While 35 suspects were brought before Chief Magistrate S. Andrew-Jaja, of Court 8, the other seven were arraigned before Chief Magistrate A. O. Amadi-Nna, around 5.10pm.

They were all arraigned on two counts of conspiracy to commit treasonable felony and display of unruly behaviour.

According to the first charge, the suspects were accused of committing treasonable felony and committed an offence punishable under Section 516A (1) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Volume II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

But the second charge indicated that they conducted themselves in a manner “likely to force or compel the President to change his measures by displaying flags and other items of the Biafra Republic, with such intention of an act to take over the Government of Nigeria by force and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 41 (c) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Volume II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.”

All the accused persons were, however, remanded in prison custody while the matter was adjourned till January 30, 2017.The accused persons were later driven away from the court premises in a Black Maria at about 6.13pm.

The counsel for the accused persons, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who spoke with newsmen after the court session, said his clients were with “overwhelming evidence” against the security agencies and how they (security operatives) killed some pro-Biafran protesters during the rally.

Ejiofor alleged that over 20 members of IPOB were murdered by security agents.

In a similar vein, some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been released from prison