Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over the case of some Yoruba Nation militants in 2021, granting them N5 million bail with one surety each.

The Department of State Services (DSS) had arraigned 12 aides of Sunday Igboho, the militant leader of the Yoruba Nation secessionist group, before the judge on terrorism and arms dealing allegations.

The accused, who were all adults, had spent 34 days in official custody without any charge against them. Pelumi Olajengbesi, their lawyer, then asked the court to order their release.

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The DSS said it was not opposing the bail application for eight of the twelve accused. But it had reasons to oppose the release of the other four.

Regardless, the court granted all of them bail on varying conditions. Abdullateef Onaolapo, Tajudeen Irinloye, Dikeola Ademola, Ayobami Donald, Uthman Adelabu, Olakunle Oluwapelumi, Raji Kazeem and Taiwo Tajudeen were granted bail conditions of N5 million and one surety each. The sureties had to be Abuja residents with evidence of property ownership and tax receipts in the city.

Four other accused, Amudat Babatunde, Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Oyetunji, and Bamidele Sunday, got a N10 million bail with two sureties each, one of which had to be a federal government staff not below grade level 12.

SIMILAR CASE, DIFFERENT TERMS

Similarly, the same judge heard the bail application of 76 persons on trial with a 10-count charge of terrorism and attempted removal of Bola Tinubu as president during the #EndBadGovernance protest in August. These allegations were levelled against them by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The accused persons were mostly underfed minors, ranging from 13 to 17 years of age, arrested in Kaduna, Abuja, Jos, Gombe, Kano and Katsina states. According to the Child Rights Act, anyone under 18 is a minor.

During the proceedings on Friday, five of the minors slumped in court, necessitating the provision of medical treatment for them at a clinic.

Granting bail by a judge is discretionary. Based on his discretion, Justice Egwuatu conditionally granted the minors bail on Friday after spending 93 days in detention. On the contrary, however, their bail sum was N10 million and two sureties each, conditions that are less liberal than what the court gave the Yoruba Nation secessionists who spent 34 days in detention.

For the minors, their sureties would be a parent or sibling and a civil servant of not less than grade level 15. Sureties for the adults must be civil servants.

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Generally, the judge directed that each of the civil servants standing surety for the accused must submit relevant documents, including a last promotion letter, employment letter, passports, valid identity card, and verified addresses, to the court. They are also to deposit and give to the court passport photographs and swear an affidavit of means.

Some individuals and groups have been critical of these bail conditions, considered as stringent, particularly against the children involved.

Marshal Abubakar, the defence team lead for the accused, described the conditions as granting bail with one hand and taking it with the other hand. “The conditions are neck-breaking. It is like giving bail with the right hand and taking it with the left hand,” he said.
The post FLASHBACK: Justice Obiora Egwuatu Granted Yoruba Nation Agitators N5m Bail in 2021 appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.