Court Reduces Bail For 5 #EndBadGovernance Protesters To N25m

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted the reduction of bail conditions for five #EndBadGovernance protesters to N5 million each.

Justice Emeka Nwite had on September 11 granted bail to all ten protesters to the tune of N100 million.

The ten defendants – Michael Adaramoye, also known as Lenin, Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Comrade Opaluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nurudeen Khamis, and Abduldalam Zubair are facing six counts charges including treason, conspiracy to commit a felony, inciting mutiny, and attempting to destabilise Nigeria.

The offenses are said to be punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.

The defendants are accused of attempting to force their way into the seat of power, burning down a police station, and injuring officers.

The Federal Government also claimed that the protesters incited the public against the government and destroyed public properties, including a police station, the High Court complex, and facilities belonging to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC).

LEADERSHIP recalls that five of the 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters, who were previously remanded in prison by the Federal Government, have struggled to meet the original bail conditions.

This was revealed by the counsel for the 1st, 2nd, and 4th defendants, Marshall Abubakar, who stated that some of the protesters were unable to secure a surety with landed property in Abuja, one of the bail requirements.

The Court required that the sureties must be residents of Abuja, own property in the city, and deposit their property documents with the court registrar.

Additionally, the sureties were required to swear to an affidavit of means, and both the defendants and sureties were to submit their international passports and recent passport photographs to the registrar.

Justice Nwite ruled that the protesters be held in custody until the were able to meet the bail conditions.

The defense lawyers later appealed the stringent bail terms, particularly arguing that the five defendants were unable to meet the requirements.

Following their application, Justice Nwite reduced the bail sum to N25 million in total for the five protesters requesting the variation.

Each individual were required to post bail of N5 million with one surety in the same amount, who must be a close relative such as a father, mother, or another blood relative residing within the jurisdiction, if neither parent is available.