Court To Rule On Bail For #EndBadGovernance Protesters Sept 11

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed September 11 for the trial and ruling on the bail application for the #EndBadGovernance protesters who were arraigned in Abuja on Monday.

The protesters were being tried for alleged treason, inciting mutiny, and intent to destabilise Nigeria.

The 10 persons arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja were Michael Adaramoye also known as Lenin, Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaoluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis and Aabdulsalam Zubairu.

In the six counts filed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Federal Government also named a British citizen, Andrew Wynne, a.k.a Andrew Povich, a defendant in the suit.

In the charge sheet marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, the defendants were accused of “treason, destabilising the country, intimidating the President and destroying the NCC in Kano,” among others.

The IG specifically accused the protesters of acting in concert and conspiring to destabilise the country, to commit a felony, to wit: treason, between July 1 and August 4, 2024.

Egbetokun said the offence is contrary to Section 95 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.

The IG also said, “Between 1 July 2024 and 4 August 2024, at Karshi Abuja FCT, within the jurisdiction of this court, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilise Nigeria, (defendants) conspired together to commit a felony, to wit: Inciting to mutiny and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.”

The IG added that the protesters, between July 1, 2024, and August 10, 2024, in Abuja FCT, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe, in collaboration with Andrew Wynne (a.k.a Andrew Povich), a British Citizen, with the intent to destabilise Nigeria, waged war against the state to intimidate or overawe the President by attacking and injuring police officers and burning police stations, High Court Complex, NCC Complex, Kano Printing Press, Government House Karo, Kadama Investment and Promotions Agency office, NURTW office and several other buildings.

Egbetokun said the offence is contrary to Section 410 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LEN 204.

Also, the defendants were accused of collaborating with Wynne, a British Citizen, with the intent to destabilise Nigeria, incited disaffection to the government by inciting public disturbance while carrying placards with the inscription ‘end bad government’ and several other inscriptions to incite disaffection to the government.

The IGP said they committed an offence contrary to Section 416 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 204.