Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) members have been arrested by the police at the Federal High Court in Abuja where their leader, Nnamdi Kanu is standing trial
The IPOB members were at the court to show solidarity with Kanu, who is standing trial for charges that include terrorism and treasonable felony.
Some of them wore Jewish attire and could be heard chanting slogans in support of the IPOB leader and demanding his freedom.
After a policeman initially tried to disperse the IPOB members and threatened to shoot one of them, some of them were thereafter arrested.
Others fled following the arrest of their counterparts.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his arrest and extradition to Nigeria from Kenya.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel for the detained leader of the IPOB, warned security agents against molesting Kanu’s supporters who might want to show up at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday for the IPOB leader’s trial.
In a press statement Ejimakor said he was prompted to issue the warning based on media reports indicating that those coming to Abuja to show solidarity with his client will be harassed or even arrested by security agents.
He noted that anybody who wishes to be at the court would not be doing anything illegal, provided such a person comes in peace, albeit he added that this was not an invitation for Kanu’s supporters to throng the courtroom.
He said: “Kanu’s trial is an open trial, not a secret trial and he’s presumed innocent until proven guilty. Therefore, anybody wishing to be associated with his trial by being present in Abuja is protected by his Constitutional right to freedom of association and movement.”
