Pascal Arogorn Ibe
A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Wuse zone 2, Abuja, on Wednesday granted bail to five #EndSARS protesters after they were arrested by security forces at the National Assembly.
Also granted bail was one female journalist, Oluwatosin Adeniji, who was covering the demonstration last Friday.
The six are to appear in court on January 25, 2020 for trial.
The five male protesters were identified as Yaziru Bashiru, Abdulsalam Suberu, Kabiru Gazali, Paul Akinwunmi, and Davo Chomo.
Chief Magistrate, Abdulrazak Eneye, granted the six youths bail after hearing the application by their counsel.
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Lawyer for the remanded six, Tope Akinyode, had presented an oral application, seeking the court to grant them bail.
However, the magistrate in charge of their case decided to strike out the lawyer’s oral application for bail, instead demanding that they present a written request.
In granting the six youths bail to the tune of N50,000 each, Eneye stated that they must present six sureties.
The chief magistrate stated that sureties would sign a bail bond of N50,000 each for the youths.
Last week, the court had remanded the five protesters one journalist on “allegations of unlawful assembly and wanting to distort the societal peace.”
However, their legal counsel, Tope Akinyode, said they allegations were “clearly trumped up charges because the protesters protested in accordance with the law.”
Peaceful protests are constitutional in Nigeria. However, the police are known to use force to disperse mass demonstrations that are against the interest of Federal authorities.
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