After spending 13 days in the Lafia Correctional Centre, the Nasarawa State Magistrates’ Court in Lafia has revised the bail conditions for 38 individuals arrested in connection with a protest against the Supreme Court judgment affirming the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule.
Magistrate Mohammed Abdullahi-Lanze had initially set bail at N2 million each, along with the requirement for a surety who must be a civil servant not below the rank of director under the federal or state government. However, the protesters remained in custody as they were unable to meet these conditions.
Their lawyer, Ayiwulu Baba-Ayiwulu, appealed to the court on Wednesday to reconsider the bail conditions, citing difficulties in securing 38 directors to stand as sureties. In response, Magistrate Abdullahi-Lanze reduced the bail amount to N500,000 for each defendant. The surety requirement was also amended to “a reasonable surety staying within the jurisdiction of the court,” with the obligation to submit a passport photograph and sign a bail bond of N500,000.
The defendants are facing charges of conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and disturbance of public peace by setting up a fire during the protest. The new bail conditions are expected to facilitate their release, and the court has set the next adjournment date for February 27, 2024.
Speaking after the court’s decision, defense counsel Baba-Ayiwulu expressed satisfaction with the revised bail conditions, stating that they are reasonable and optimistic that the defendants will be released soon. The arrests occurred on January 19, 2024, following allegations of blocking the Lafia/Jos road after the Supreme Court’s verdict on Governor Abdullahi Sule’s election victory.
