Twelve members of the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) who had been held in custody since May 24, 2021, have finally regained their freedom.
Naija News reports that the release came on Thursday, April 10, 2025, following a decision by the Ebonyi State High Court.
This development marks a major legal breakthrough for the detainees, who had spent nearly four years in detention.
The news was confirmed by Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the legal counsel representing IPOB, through a statement shared on his official Facebook page.
These individuals were originally part of a group of 36 arrested in 2021. Although previous court rulings had discharged and acquitted them, they remained behind bars due to bureaucratic delays in enforcing those decisions.
Their eventual release was made possible after the Ebonyi State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) formally withdrew the most recent charges brought against them, aligning with prior court judgments.
“This victory follows a formal application by the Ebonyi State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), who, in acknowledgement of repeated judicial pronouncements, withdrew the latest charge filed against these 12 individuals,” Ejiofor stated.
Describing the outcome as “a long-overdue respect for the rule of law,” Ejiofor said prison officials acted without delay once the court’s order was issued, handing over the freed individuals to him.
He further emphasized his team’s unwavering dedication to securing justice for the rest of the group: “Our legal team remains relentless and fully committed to securing the freedom of the remaining detainees—men who have also been discharged and acquitted by no fewer than four different High Courts in Ebonyi State.”
While 12 have now been freed, the future of the others is still pending. Nonetheless, Ejiofor expressed optimism, suggesting their freedom is inevitable and simply a matter of time.
