On Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to 10 activists who were charged by the Federal Government following the recent #Hunger and #EndBadGovernance protests.
The defendants, accused of serious offenses including treason and mutiny, were granted bail despite the gravity of the charges.The defendants—Michael Adaramoye (also known as Lenin), Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nurudeen Khamis, and Abduldalam Zubair—were charged with six counts, including treason, conspiracy to commit a felony, and inciting mutiny. They were accused of attempting to force their way into government buildings, burning down a police station, and inciting public unrest against the government.
Although the Federal Government pressed capital charges, Justice Nwite ruled in favor of bail, stating that the defendants, through their evidence, were merely protesters. The court accepted the argument by their counsel, Abubakar Marshal, who asserted that every individual charged with a crime should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.Bail was granted to each defendant in the sum of N10 million with one Abuja-based property owner as surety.
The court also required the submission of their passports and other documentation. While the defendants remain in custody until their bail conditions are met, they are barred from participating in any protests during the trial, which is set to begin on September 27.Justice Nwite’s ruling underscores the court’s recognition of the activists’ right to a fair trial amidst ongoing tensions around the protests.
