The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the co-defendants of the on the run leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

You will recall that Justice Binta Nyako had in February 20, 2018, ordered the separation of Kanu’s trial from that of the rest of his co-defendants, as the IPOB leader’s absence from court continued to halt progress in the case.

The co-defendants who now face three counts of treasonable felony include; Bright Chimezie; who is the National Coordinator of IPOB, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

Ruling on the fresh Bail applications filed by the defendants following their re-arraignment on March 20, 2018, Justice Nyako, said the applications succeeded on health grounds and the number of years they had spent in detention.

The judge also noted that one of the defendant’s, Bright Chimezie, had earlier been granted bail by the Federal High Court in Uyo in May 2017 but the Department of State Service which at the time, was holding him in custody refused to release him.

She said the defendants had spent an average of three years in custody when the maximum penalty for the offences they were charged with if convicted, ranged from five to seven years.

Justice Nyako further imposed on the four defendants’ conditions similar to the ones she attached to the bail granted Kanu in April last year.

One of such conditions included that they were barred from granting any press interview or participating in any form of gathering or rally.

She also ordered them to produce two sureties each in the sum of ten million naira.

The defendants are also expected to report to the Commissioners of Police in their various states of residence every two weeks.

The trial has been adjourned till November 14, 2018