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September 2, 2024
SaharaReporters reported that President Bola Tinubu's administration had found support from Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja to suppress opposition to its policies, which critics argue are harmful to the people and democracy.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered 10 out of the detained 124 youths linked to #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre till September 11 for trial and ruling on their bail applications.
Justice Emeka Nwite who is the presiding judge also ordered the 5th defendant, who is the only woman among the defendants to be remanded at Suleja Correctional Centre.
A court document obtained by SaharaReporters on Sunday revealed the charges filed against the 10 protesters listed as Defendants.
They are Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye (aka Lenin), male, 28 years; Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi (aka Yomi), male, 34 years; Suleiman Yakubu, male, 28 years; Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, male, 50 years; Angel Love Innocent, female, 51 years; Buhari Lawal, male, 21 years; Mosiu Sadiq, male, 28 years; Bashir Bello (aka Murtala), male, 51 years; Nuradeen Khamis, male, 47 years; and Abdulsalam Zubairu, male, 37 years.
Earlier, counsel for the 1st -4th defendants, Abubakar Marshal, while opposing the continued detention of the defendants moved an oral application for bail, arguing that bail is discretionary and that the prosecution team lacked any concrete evidence against the defendants to charge them for treason.
He said the application for bail can be moved orally and urged the court to admit his clients to bail on liberal terms.
While aligning himself to the submission made by Marshal, counsel for the 6th-8th defendants, Deji Adeyanju, said the confessional statements of the defendants and the proof of evidence relied on by the prosecution team has nothing to do with treason as claimed.
He said none of the defendants is a criminal, adding that they would not jump bail. He said the defendants are patriotic protesters and asked the prosecution to go after the bandits and kidnappers terrorizing Nigerians.
Lawyers representing the 5th, 9th and 10th defendants also aligned with Marshal and Deji’s arguments and urged the court to admit their clients to bail.
Meanwhile the Prosecution Counsel, Simon Lough insisted that the defendants should be remanded in correctional centres.
After listening to the arguments, the presiding judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, adjourned the case to September 11.
The defendants have spent one almost one month in police custody following their arrest at various locations in the country by the Nigerian police for asking Nigerian government to end hunger, bad governance and insecurity.
Last Monday, SaharaReporters reported that President Bola Tinubu's administration had found support from Justice Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja to suppress opposition to its policies, which critics argue are harmful to the people and democracy.
These policies, implemented over the past 15 months, have led to widespread poverty and a surge in the cost of living, with basic food items like beans and rice reaching record prices of N400 and N300 per cup, respectively.
However, the government's policies have targeted dissenting voices and media practitioners, with Justice Nwite's recent rulings legitimising the crackdown on critics of the administration.
Opponents argue that these policies, introduced within the first 15 months, have had devastating consequences for the nation.
The court's decisions have been perceived as aligning with the government's position, fueling debates about the delicate balance between governance and the freedom to express dissenting opinions.
SaharaReporters reported that Justice Nwite was the judge who gave an ex-parte order freezing accounts of some alleged #EndBadGovernance protesters.
SaharaReporters last Sunday reported that the judge had issued an order freezing the bank accounts of 32 individuals and companies allegedly linked to the #EndBadGovernance protests that took place across Nigeria between August 1 and August 10.
The protests were meant to highlight the challenges Nigerians faced with increasing hunger, misgovernance and exacerbating insecurity that have forced residents to abandoned their farms, leading to food insecurity.
The order also directed banks to detain account holders or anyone found transacting business on the affected accounts, pending investigation and prosecution.
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