The Federal Government, on Friday, re-arraigned 10 individuals arrested in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests held between Aug. 1 and Aug. 10 on charges of alleged treasonable felony.
The Inspector-General of Police re-arraigned the defendants on an eight-count amended charge, following an application by the prosecution counsel, Simon Lough, SAN, before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The protesters, initially arraigned on Sept. 2 on a six-count charge, were arrested in various states, including Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Gombe, after the protests escalated into violence and fatalities. They pleaded not guilty and were granted N10 million bail each on Sept. 11 with one surety in like sum.
At Friday’s hearing, Lough introduced an amended charge adding Daniel Akande as the 11th defendant. Akande, a member of the Solidarity Network for Workers’ Rights, was detained on Sept. 1 during a church service in Abuja. After the fresh charges were read, all defendants pleaded not guilty.
Akande’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, requested bail for his client, which the court granted under similar conditions, requiring a N10 million bond, one surety, and the submission of his international passport.
Earlier, counsel to the first and second defendants, Abubakar Marshal, contested the amendment, arguing it violated Section 216 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, as the prosecution failed to obtain the court’s permission. Marshal also noted the lack of provided evidence and witness lists for the defense’s preparation.
Justice Nwite allowed the prosecution to proceed with reading the amended charge, instructing defense counsel to raise any objections at the appropriate time. The case was adjourned to Oct. 4 for a ruling on bail variations for the 3rd, 4th, and 10th defendants, with trial set for Nov. 11.
[…] concluded that these efforts are intended to help Nigeria become more competitive and respected on the global […]