Court slams N10m Bail on End Bad Governance Protesters

Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail in the sum of N10 million to each of the ten #EndBadGovernance protesters who were arrested and detained for treason among others.

The judge also ordered that they each provide one surety in like sum.

While delivering the ruling, the trial judge held that Nigeria’s criminal justice system has its stipulations for the prosecutor and the defendant.

Justice Nwite, agreed with the argument of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th defendants’ counsel, Abubakar Marshall, “that anybody charged with a criminal offence must be presumed innocent until proven guilty”.

On this note, he granted the bail application of all ten defendants.

“I have carefully considered the submission of the counsel on both divides. I hereby grant the defendants’ bail notwithstanding the crime. The bail is hereby granted to the defendants’ applicant in the sum of N10m each and one surety in like some”.

The protesters identified as 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, were first arraigned on September 2 on a six-count charge ranging from alleged treason, inciting mutiny and intent to destabilise Nigeria.

Outrage As Oba Of Lagos Praises Army For Shooting #EndSARS Protesters

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has praised the Nigerian army for its intervention during #EndSARS protests despite sweeping criticisms of the latter for opening fire on unarmed protesters at Lekki Tollgate.

In October 2020, thousands of youth demonstrated across the country for days in protest against decades of police brutality and other human rights abuses by defunct police department tagged Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Mr Akinolu who hosted the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Farouk Yahaya, at his palace on Tuesday, said although several Nigerians criticised the army for shooting protesters, he appreciated their efforts.

“I appreciate the efforts of the Nigerian Army during the #EndSARS’ protest.

“Many people criticised them for coming out during the protest but it was good they came out when the police could no longer handle the situation,” he said.

The monarch’s comment is despite a report by the state Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate cases of brutality, which described the October 20, 2020 incident as a massacre.

The panel also established that the Nigerian military shot live bullets, killed several protesters, and took corpses away in their vans.

But Mr Akinolu argued that the military’s intervention cushioned the situation.

“The army’s intervention calmed the situation, and I also thank the almighty Allah that nobody died in the palace during the incident,” he said.

The Lagos monarch’s palace was in 2020 invaded by irate youths who accused him of hoarding palliatives meant for poor citizens.

Foodstuffs, starched hard currencies, staff of office, among other valuables were carted away from Mr Akiolu’s palace as he was chased away from his domain for months.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, who was on an operational visit to Lagos to inaugurate some projects, said that his visit to the palace was to get royal blessings from the traditional ruler.

“I came to this palace to pay my respect and homage to the king before inaugurating the project in Isale-Eko.” he said