The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to 76 individuals charged in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests held in August 2024.
Each defendant was granted bail set at N10 million, with Justice Obiora Egwuatu outlining stringent conditions for their release.
In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu mandated that each protester must secure two sureties, each also valued at N10 million.
One surety must be a civil servant of grade level 15 or higher, possessing a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction, while the other must be a parent of the protester involved.
The court’s decision follows alarming reports of five minors who collapsed during their arraignment, highlighting the dire conditions they faced while in detention.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene in the courtroom as several minors, visibly malnourished and suffering from health issues, fainted when called to enter the dock. Lawyers and court officials rushed to assist, and the minors were subsequently taken for medical treatment.
“A couple of them fainted inside the courtroom because of maltreatment; they have not eaten for some days,” a source close to the proceedings revealed, criticizing authorities for allegedly using hunger as a means of coercion against protesters exercising their constitutional rights.
In light of the health crisis, the prosecution requested a temporary withdrawal of charges against the minors, which was granted by the court.
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They will be re-arraigned once their health improves. Defense counsel Abubakar Marshal emphasized the need for the minors to be released into the care of their parents.
The Network of Abuja Left Groups has condemned the detention of the protesters, particularly the minors, calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
The coalition denounced the administration of President Bola Tinubu for its ongoing suppression of dissent and the treatment of those who participated in the protests.
