Justice Nwite on Monday ordered nine #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre till September 11 for trial and ruling on their bail applications.
An activist, Francis Nwapa, has accused Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja of violating every provision of democratic constitution.
Nwapa, in a statement posted on X on Monday accused Justice Emeka Nwite of being the henchman of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He blamed the judge for remanding #EndBadGovernance protesters in prison for demanding good governance, describing it as being against the provisions of Criminal justice Act & provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
He wrote, "Injustice Emeka Nwite has violated every provision of Democratic Constitution. He is the henchman of the @officialABAT Fascist regime.
"Against provisions of Criminal justice Act & provisions of the 1999 constitution, Protesters have been Remanded in Prison for demanding Good Governance. We shall defeat this monstrous regime.
Justice Nwite on Monday ordered nine #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre till September 11 for trial and ruling on their bail applications.
Justice Nwite 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.
SaharaReporters had reported how President 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 earlier reported that Justice Nwite was the judge who gave an ex-parte order freezing accounts of some alleged #EndBadGovernance protesters.
SaharaReporters also recently reported that Justice Nwite’s court 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.
Justice Nwite, now widely criticised for his perceived alignment with government interests, also recently granted separate police requests to detain 75 and 49 protesters for 60 days, pending the completion of investigation.
Notably, among the 124 protesters are minors, aged 14-17, facing questionable charges of terrorism, treason, and treasonable felonies solely for participating in protests against hunger and deprivation.
Also, Justice Nwite refused to release the passport of the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowere, despite several failed attempts to try him for alleged treason.
Sowore was, in 2019, restricted to Abuja by a Federal High Court following charges of treasonable felony and cyberstalking, among other offences.
But in April 2022, a Court of Appeal in Abuja lifted the movement restriction on the activist.
The Appeal Court ruled that Sowore could now leave Abuja but not travel out of Nigeria.
The court described the restriction of Sowore’s movement to Abuja as “excessive”, and therefore, lifted it.
But in July 2023, Justice Nwite ruled in favour of the government claiming that since the case was starting de novo (starting afresh), he could not entertain Sowore’s application.
However, in February 2024, President Bola Tinubu’s administration through the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) withdrew the charges of treason against the former presidential candidate.
Also, in the defamation and cyber-stalking suit filed against Sowore by the FCT Commissioner of Police on behalf of Senator Ned Nwoko following the failure of the police to serve the 3rd defendant (SaharaReporters Media Group Incorporated) a hearing notice, Justice Nwite also insisted that the former presidential candidate must keep coming from the United States for the trial.
After court proceedings on May 2, 2024, one of Sowore’s lawyers, Tope Temokun, who addressed journalists, said, "We are not saying we are running away from the trial. Omoyele Sowore travelled all the way from the United States just because of this matter.
"He has not been arraigned. But the simple question we are asking is that if you have brought SaharaReporters to court, from your proof of evidence, SaharaReporters is resident in New York. Did you serve SaharaReporters that this matter is for today?
“They want the court to overlook that and allow the court to do things anyhow. Our own intention is that we cannot allow things to be done anyhow. The person involved in this; everybody knows that the matter will not end here. We are looking at the Supreme Court.
“We want to protect the records of the court. We cannot allow the police to do a lazy man's work and reap where they did not sow.
“The court said there is a need for SaharaReporters to be served with the hearing notice for the next proceedings.
“The court is still insisting that Mr. Omoyele Sowore is representing SaharaReporters but we are saying for the purpose of this trial, you cannot force representation of SaharaReporters on him.”