Thirty members of a separatist movement in south-east Nigeria have pleaded not guilty to charges they were planning to “wage a war” against the government.

They are among the 84 members of the Movement for the Acualisation of a Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) arrested in Enugu in May.

They are accused of treason after allegedly celebrating the anniversary of the start of the Nigerian civil war.

Their lawyer insists that Massob is a non-violent organisation. Uju Joy Ogwefi said the 73 men and one woman were on their way to a friend’s house when the police stopped their convoy and arrested them.

“This is a non-violent organisation, they have stated that time without end, and under the constitution they have freedom of association,” he told the court.

But prosecutors said Massob was an “illegal organisation”, and that alone was evidence they planned “treason”.

The remaining 54 are expected to enter a plea on Thursday. Over a million people died in the 30-month Nigerian civil war which began after the south-east of the country declared itself independent in 1967.

Source: BBC News