On Friday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to 76 protesters advocating against bad governance, with a collective bail requirement totaling N760 million. Each defendant is to provide two sureties: one must be a Level 15 civil servant, and the other a parent.
Justice Egwuatu outlined specific conditions for the sureties, including submission of their promotion letters, appointment letters, identification, verified addresses, and passport photographs. They must also surrender their international passports and sign an affidavit of means. In his ruling, Justice Egwuatu stated, “The defendants are granted bail in the sum of N10 million each, with two sureties in like sum. One of them must be a Level 15 civil servant, and the other a parent to the defendant.”
The protesters, arraigned by Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun, faced 10 charges, including treason and inciting mutiny by allegedly calling for the removal of President Bola Tinubu. All 76 defendants pleaded not guilty.
During the proceedings, four defendants—8th, 66th, 69th, and 49th—collapsed while being led to the dock, and were assisted by lawyers and prison officers. Justice Egwuatu briefly left the courtroom after witnessing the incident.
The prosecuting counsel, Audu Garba, informed the court of limited space, prompting the judge to insist that accommodations be made for all defendants. The prosecution requested to discharge the four ill defendants temporarily until they could recover. Defense counsel Marshall Abubakar argued for their discharge due to ill health, citing lack of food over the previous three days. Although the prosecution disputed this claim, it did not oppose the bail application.
The court subsequently discharged the four ailing defendants—Umar Yunusa, Usman Suraju, Musa Isiyaku, and Abdul Ganiu—on health grounds but did not grant them full acquittal. Justice Egwuatu ordered that adult defendants be detained at Kuje Correctional Centre and minors at Borstal Centre in Gwagwalada until bail conditions are met.
Justice Egwuatu scheduled a substantive hearing for January 24. The defendants, arrested in Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano, were protesting economic hardship. Of the 76 protesters, 32 are minors aged 14 to 17.
The charges include conspiracy to commit treason. One of the counts alleges, “Between 31 July 2024 and 4 August 2024, at Abuja FCT and Kano metropolis within the jurisdiction of this court, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilize Nigeria, conspired together to commit felony to wit: treason, contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.”
Following this session, 43 additional protesters facing similar charges appeared in court, with bail granted on the same conditions as the initial 76.
