By Vincent Ujumadu
AWKA—JUSTICE Peter Olayiwola presiding at the Federal High Court, Awka, yesterday refused to grant bail to the Nnewi-based business mogul, Chief Pius Ogbuawa, and 20 others accused of allegedly conspiring to kidnap two Chinese nationals and a Nigerian working with Innoson Group of Comapanies, Nnewi, in 2007.

When the application for bail was read, the Judge declined to grant it and adjourned the matter to October 6, 2010, when the courts would be back from annual vacation.

There was, however, a mild drama at the premises of the court when the children and wives of Ogbuawa who had been in prison custody since last month, engaged journalists and photographers in a fisticuff as reporters tried to interview and take photograph of the businessman.

When Ogbuawa came down from the court room, the reporters and photographers had positioned themselves to take shots, but they were stopped by members of his family who shouted no, no, no…

They shielded his face with their bare hands, handkerchiefs and hand bags, while reporters insisted. They engaged some of the journalists in physical combat as Ogbuawa scampered into his waiting black jeep and was driven away by one of his sons.

Ogbuawa and the 20 others who claim to be members of Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) are facing trial for allegedly abducting Mr. Niu Quijan and Shey Feng at Nnewi and took them to Ekoli Edda in Ebonyi State where one of them died.