JUST IN: Court Grants Bail to 10 #EndBadGovernance Protesters Facing Treason Charges (Full List)

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to 10 individuals accused of treason following their involvement in last month’s #EndBadGovernance protests.

Presiding over the case, Justice Emeka Nwite set the bail at N10 million for each defendant, along with a condition that the surety must own property in Abuja equivalent to the bail sum. The judge also ordered that the sureties surrender their passports, but no additional conditions were attached to the bail.

The Defendants

The 10 protesters, previously arraigned on September 2, include:

Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye (aka Lenin), 28

Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi (aka Yomi), 34

Suleiman Yakubu, 28

Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, 50

Angel Love Innocent, 51 (the only female among them)

Buhari Lawal, 21

Mosiu Sadiq, 28

Bashir Bello (aka Murtala), 51

Nuradeen Khamis, 47

Abdulsalam Zubairu, 37

Their legal team successfully argued for bail on liberal terms, contending that the prosecution’s evidence did not substantiate the serious allegations of treason.

Background

The Nigerian government arraigned the protesters on charges related to plotting war and attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration. They were accused of inciting mutiny by calling for military intervention during the protests, which took place from August 1 to 10 across several major cities.

The prosecution also alleged that the defendants conspired to destabilize the country, encouraging violent actions, including attacks on police stations and government buildings in various states. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The protests, which called for better governance, have been met with a heavy crackdown by authorities, resulting in the arrests and charges against these individuals. Despite the accusations, the defence maintains that protesting does not equate to treason.

More updates to follow.