Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to 67 out of 76 minors who were arraigned for participating in the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests.
The bail was set at N10 million each, with specific conditions for those under 15 years old. They must present one surety who is a civil servant.
Five defendants between 12 and 15 years old fainted just minutes after the hearing began on Friday, November 1.
Defense lawyer Marshall Abubakar attributed their collapse to hunger and ill-health, stating, “All these young children are sick and hungry. They have been kept in police custody for weeks without food and proper medical care. They are sick and need proper attention. That is the cause of these unfortunate developments.”
The bail conditions for the minors include:
The bail amount is set at 10 million Naira each.
Two sureties are required, one of whom must be a civil servant and the other a family member (parent or sibling).
The civil servant must provide an employment letter, last promotion letter, two passports, and a valid ID.
A valid means of ID is required for all defendants.
Two sureties are required, one of whom must be a civil servant and the other a family member (parent or sibling).
The civil servant must provide an employment letter, last promotion letter, two passports, and a valid ID.
A valid means of ID is required for all defendants.
The minors will be remanded at a borstal home, while adult suspects will be held at Kuje Custodial Centre until they perfect their bail.
The defendants, totaling 125, were charged with terrorism by the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly participating in the #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano State. They were divided into two batches of 76 and 49 for arraignment before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
