The protesters, identified as Michael Adaramoye aka Lenin, Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khakis, and Abdusalam Zubairu, were arraigned under a charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, filed by the Inspector-General of Police on August 30.
The charges against them include treason, conspiracy to commit felony, inciting mutiny, and intent to destabilize Nigeria, all punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code. The charges stem from their involvement in nationwide protests against economic hardship that took place between August 1 and August 10, 2024. These protests reportedly turned violent in some areas, leading to looting and vandalism.
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All ten defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following the arraignment, the defense counsel requested bail for the defendants, emphasizing that they were innocent until proven guilty. Marshall Abubakar, representing the 1st and 3rd defendants, argued that the protesters were exercising their constitutional rights and that the charges against them were unfounded. He pointed out that the defendants had already been detained for extended periods, some for as long as 30 days, before a detention order was granted.
Abubakar, along with other defense lawyers, urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms, arguing that the defendants’ actions were within their constitutional rights to protest. He also noted that bail could be requested orally at any stage of the trial, citing the defendants’ prolonged detention as a violation of their rights.
However, the prosecution counsel, Simon Lough, SAN, opposed the bail request, stressing the seriousness of the treason charges and arguing that bail should only be granted under exceptional circumstances, which he claimed the defense had not demonstrated.
Justice Nwite ordered the defendants to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until September 11, when a ruling on the bail applications will be delivered.
