Ebonyi Court Orders Release of Final 24 IPOB Detainees Held Since 2020

The final 24 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who had been in detention since May 24, 2020, were freed on Thursday by the Ebonyi State High Court, marking the end of a prolonged legal battle over what their lawyers described as unjust and unconstitutional incarceration.

Court charge sheet No: HIK/10C/2024 confirmed that the group—part of 36 IPOB members held since 2020—were discharged and acquitted of all charges. Their release was also announced in a press statement by IPOB’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who said the men had endured four years of detention under “recycled and repackaged allegations/charges.”

“These innocent citizens had endured years of prolonged, unconstitutional detention under recycled and repackaged allegations/charges, even after being severally discharged and acquitted on the same facts by not less than five respectable High Courts in Ebonyi State,” he stated.

Ejiofor described Thursday’s judgment as a turning point. “A momentous chapter was written today, Thursday, July 17, 2025, at the Ebonyi State High Court, as the last batch of 24 Biafran detainees, out of a group of 36 unjustly held since May 24, 2020, were finally discharged and acquitted of all lingering frivolous and unfounded charges,” he said.

The court’s ruling followed a preliminary objection raised by the defence, which argued that the continued trial violated Section 36(9) of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits double jeopardy.

“This sacred principle, autrefois acquit, stipulates that no person shall be tried again for an offence in respect of which they have previously been acquitted,” Ejiofor explained.

Hon. Justice I.P. Chima upheld the objection and ruled in favour of the IPOB members. The judge was praised for his courage and legal clarity. “We salute the learned Judge’s exceptional courage, depth of reasoning, and unwavering commitment to the sanctity of the Constitution. His erudition and moral clarity have restored faith in the judiciary as the last hope of the common man,” Ejiofor added.

He went on to acknowledge divine intervention in the outcome: “Above all, we return all glory, honour, and adoration to the Most High God — ChukwuOkike Abiama — our eternal rock, fortress, and deliverer. This is another unprecedented victory, made possible only by His mighty hand.”

Ejiofor said his team had already begun taking steps to ensure immediate compliance with the court’s order. He also thanked the Ebonyi State Government’s legal team for pledging to uphold the ruling and confirmed that correctional authorities had committed to handing over the detainees without resistance.

“The joy of today will ripple far beyond the walls of the courtroom. It will be a thing of immense joy seeing the reunification of these families, some of whose wives had been abandoned, children lost, and parents buried in sorrow during this long period of incarceration,” he said.

He urged the Ebonyi State Government to consider urgent steps to rehabilitate and compensate the released detainees for their ordeal.

“Today marks the end of a painful four-year ordeal. The light of justice has finally pierced through the dark clouds of oppression. Once again, to the Almighty God be all the glory; it can only be Him. With God, we have conquered. Justice has spoken. Freedom is restored. A new chapter begins,” Ejiofor concluded.