IT was in sober mood as 52 suspected members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) were arraigned, Tuesday, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on a three-count charge of conspiracy and treason. The 52 persons including a pregnant woman have been in prison custody since September 11, 2004. They were alleged to have planned to levy a war against Nigeria by participating in Biafran Freedom football tournament in Lagos. They were arrested from the venue of this championship.
The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charge, as their counsel, Anthony Omaghomi urged the court to grant them bail. However, the prosecution opposed the bail application, arguing that treason as an offence punishable by death, is not bailable.
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