Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has approved a reduction in the bail conditions for five #EndBadGovernance protesters, setting it at N5 million each.
Previously, on September 11, Justice Nwite had granted bail to all 10 protesters, setting the total amount at N100 million. However, several of the protesters struggled to meet the original bail conditions, which included providing a surety who owns landed property in Abuja, as required by the court.
In response, defense lawyers filed a request to adjust the bail terms for the five protesters unable to fulfill the initial requirements. Following the application, Justice Nwite reduced the bail to N5 million each, with one surety in the same amount.
The judge specified that the surety must be a direct blood relative, such as a father or mother. If neither parent is available, other blood relatives living within the court’s jurisdiction may be accepted.
The 10 protesters—Michael Adaramoye (known as Lenin), Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Comrade Opaluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nurudeen Khamis, and Abduldalam Zubair—are facing six charges, including alleged treason, conspiracy to commit felony, intent to destabilize Nigeria, and incitement to mutiny, punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.
The Federal Government also accused the defendants of attempting to force entry into government buildings, burning a police station, injuring officers, and inciting the public against the government. The defendants are alleged to have destroyed public property, including a police station, High Court complex, and National Communication Commission facilities.
All 10 defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them by the Inspector General of Police.