The Federal High Court has granted bail of N10 million each to 72 protesters, including minors arraigned for participating in the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted the bail application filed by their counsel, Marshal Abubakar. As part of the bail conditions, the defendants are required to provide two sureties each.
One of the sureties must be a civil servant of grade level 15 or higher, with a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction, while the other must be a parent of the protester concerned.
On Friday, Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, arraiged 76 defendants on a 10-count charge, marked FCH/ABJ/CS/503/2024, bordering on treason and associated offences.
As the proceedings commenced, Audu Garba, counsel to the IGP, informed the court of its readiness to proceed with the arraignment. The 76 defendants had been held in detention prior to the hearing.
However, shortly after the defendants who appeared ill entered the dock to plead, four protesters, mostly minors, collapsed in the courtroom. The young individuals, identified as Usman Fatihu (21), Muhammed Yahaya (14), Muktar Ishak Alhassan (16), and Mustapha Ibrahim (18 years), were the 68th, 74th, 75th, and 76th defendants, respectively.
Consequently, the trial judge abruptly adjourned the proceedings and called a brief recess.
When the session resumed, the prosecution requested that the names of the four ill defendants be withdrawn from the charge.
The remaining defendants were arraigned and entered pleas of not guilty.
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