- Each defendant must secure two sureties
A federal high court in Abuja has granted bail of N10 million each to 72 defendants charged with participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
Presiding Judge Obiora Egwuatu stipulated that each defendant must secure two sureties in the same amount. One of the sureties must be a civil servant at grade level 15 or higher, with a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction, while the other must be a parent of the defendant.
The court had originally set the arraignment date for 76 defendants, most of whom are minors. During the proceedings, many of the children appeared ill and malnourished as they were called to take their pleas.
Due to space constraints, some minors were forced to stand outside the designated area, while four of them collapsed and had to be urgently escorted from the courtroom, prompting the judge to temporarily suspend proceedings until order was restored.
When the session resumed, the remaining defendants were arraigned and pleaded not guilty.
The 76 individuals, arrested in Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano states, face charges of treason, among other offenses.