Bamigboye is facing criminal charges instituted by the Oyo State police commissioner at the instance of Sumal Food Limited.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State chapter and others stormed Iyaganku Magistrate Court on Wednesday over the appearance and re-arraignment of Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye, popularly known as Abbey Trotsky.
Bamigboye is the Chairman of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN).
Bamigboye is facing criminal charges instituted by the Oyo State police commissioner at the instance of Sumal Food Limited.
Abbey and the Campaign for Democratic and Workers Rights (CDWR) had supported the struggle of casual workers, treated like slaves in Sumal Food in 2018 for decent pay and conditions, hence the use of the police and judiciary for persecution.
However, the Chief Magistrate to whom the matter had been reassigned denied Bamigboye the right to continue to enjoy the previous bail conditions despite the application even after the police prosecutor informed the court that Bamigboye (Abbey Trotsky) had never been absent from the court since the matter started in 2019.
The magistrate rejected the application, claiming that the previous bail bond couldn’t be found in Bamigboye’s case file and that the matter was starting “de novo” (over again).
A fresh bail condition was later given after which the magistrate refused to sign the bond despite having been perfected, and an order to remand Bamigboye (Abbey Trotsky) at Agodi prison was given instead.
The only excuse given by the magistrate for not signing the bail bond was that the photocopy of the national ID presented by the surety was not clear enough.
However, the same bail bond was later approved around 5 pm following the intervention of the Oyo State NLC Chairman and members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
The prison warders were also prevailed upon not to leave the court premises until the bail condition was eventually approved.
Some of those who reportedly quickly intervened in the matter in solidarity with Bamigboye included Barrister Ola Adeosun, Barrister Kunle Adesina, Barrister Rashidat Adeshina, Barrister Bimpe Adelowo, Barrister Isaq Yusuf and Bar Emmanuel.