A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted N10million bail to each of the detained 10 individuals arrested over the last #EndBadGovernance.
They are: Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye (Lenin), 28yrs; Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi (Yomi), 34 yrs; Suleiman Yakubu, 28 yrs; Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simon, 50 yrs; Buhari Lawal, 21 yrs; Mosiu Sadiq, 28 yrs; Bashir Bello (aka Murtala), 51 yrs; Nurudeen Khamis, 47 yrs; and Abduldalam Zubair, 37 yrs.
Justice Emeka Nwite granted them bail on Wednesday while ruling on the applications filed and argued by lawyers to the 10 protesters, who were charged, by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), with treason, and advocate military takeover, among others.
Other conditions to be met by the 10 defendants, according to the judge, include that they produce one surety each in like sum, while the sureties must be resident in Abuja.
The judge said each of the sureties must be property owners in Abuja and must deposit documents of the properties with the court in addition to swearing to an affidavit of means.
Justice Nwite added that both the defendants and the sureties must deposit their international passports and three recent passport photographs with the Court.
The judge restrained the defendants from further participating in any public rally during the pendency of their trial.
He ordered that the defendants remain in custody pending when they can meet the conditions set for their bail.
Justice Nwite adjourned till September 27 for the commencement of trial.
The defendants were arranged on September 2 in a charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024 in which they are accused of among others, conspiring to commit treason, inciting violence, attacking public institutions, and instigating mutiny against the Nigerian government.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them, following which their lawyers, Marshal Abubakar and Deji Adeyanju applied for their bail.
The defendants were alleged, in count one of the charge, to have worked with others now at large between 1st July 2024 to 4 August 2024 at Karshi, Abuja, FCT, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilize Nigeria, conspired together to commit a felony, to wit: Treason and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.
In count two, they were accused of acting with others, now at large, between 1st July 2024 to 4th August 2024 at Karshi, Abuja FCT, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilize Nigeria 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.
In count three, it was alleged that the defendants “and others now at large between 1st July 2024 to 10th August 2024 in Abuja FCT, Kaduna, Kano and Gombe, while acting in concert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew povich) a British citizen), with intent to destabilized Nigeria, levies war against the state in order 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, Kano; Kaduna Investment and Promotions Agency office, NURTW office and several other buildings and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 410 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 204.”
They were alleged, in count four, of acting with others now at large, between 1st July, 2024 to 10th August 2024 in Nyanya, Abuja; Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Katsina and many other states, while acting in concert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British citizen with intent to destabilized Nigeria, incited to mutiny by calling on the military to take over government from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by chanting ‘Tinubu most go,’ soja muskeso,’ meaning Tinubu must go, it is military we want, while rioting and disturbing public peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 413 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 204.
In count five, they were said to have worked with others now at large, “between 1st July 2024 and 10th August 2024 in Abuja, FCT; Jos, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Katsina and many other states, while acting in concert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British citizen, with intent to destabilized 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 and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 416 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 204.”
They were, in count six, said to have “between 1st July, 2024 and 10th August 2024 in Abuja, FCT; Jos, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Katsina while acting in concert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British citizen, with intent to destabilized Nigeria, and to remove, otherwise than by constitutional means, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, mobilized your members to force their way into Abacha Army Barrack, Government House Kano, destroyed High Court, Printing Press and NCC Complexes Kano, and attacked and injured police officers in Nyanya and burnt down police stations and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 412 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 204.”