The Bayelsa based publisher, who was forcefully whisked away by the DSS in 2016 was accused of bombing oil pipelines, planning attacks on Abuja, and sending threat to international oil companies and also demanding money from them.
The Department of State Services (DSS) finally arraigned journalist, Jones Abiri before a court in Abuja after being illegally detained for two years without trial.
Abiri was made to appear before a magistrate court in Abuja today.
The Bayelsa based publisher, who was forcefully whisked away by the DSS in 2016 was accused of bombing oil pipelines, planning attacks on Abuja, and sending threat to international oil companies and also demanding money from them.
The DSS also claimed Abiri is the leader of a separatist group, Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force.
Upon arraignment and failure to produce a witness against Abiri by the DSS, the journalist was granted bail of the sum of two million naira.
Attached with his bail condition was also a production of two civil servants who reside in Abuja to stand as sureties.
Disagreeing with the bail terms, Abiri's lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, urged the court to grant his client bail on self-recognition being a popular journalist and that his client cannot meet the bail conditions.
“We said the first defendant Mr Jones Abiri is a journalist who has practised his journalism in Bayelsa state. So the court now adjourned for the hearing of our application to allow Mr Jones Abiri go on self-recognisance.”
The judge, Chukwuemeka Nweke, however, ordered Abiri to remain in detention as his case was adjourned to August 8 to hear the application. He also fixed August 16 for the commencement of Abiri’s trial.