Amnesty condemns court’s remand of pregnant woman, 9 others
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the remand of 10 activists in prison, following their arrest in connection with the recent hunger protest in the country.
However, the civil rights group Amnesty International condemned the prosecution by the Federal Government, describing the charges as trumped-up and a sham.
Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that the defendants, including a pregnant woman, Angel Innocent, be remanded in Kuje and Suleja correctional centres until September 11, when their bail applications will be heard.
In addition to Innocent, the other defendants are Michael Adaramoye, also known as Lenin, Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Simon, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khakis, and Abdusalam Zubairu.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the remand of 10 activists in prison after they were arrested in connection with the recent hunger protest in the country.
The judge issued the order shortly after the police arraigned the defendants on six counts, including treason and conspiracy to incite mutiny with the intent to destabilize Nigeria.
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, the defendants were also accused of levying war against the state to intimidate President Bola Tinubu by attacking and injuring police officers, and burning police stations, a high court complex, the Nigerian Communications Commission complex, Kano printing press, Kano State Government House, and several other buildings.
The police informed the court that the defendants’ actions were contrary to and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.
However, when the charges were read to them, all 10 defendants pleaded not guilty.
Their lawyers took turns urging the court to grant them bail.
Counsel for the 1st and 3rd defendants, Marshall Abubakar, argued that there is no provision in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act that requires a written application for bail.
Insisting that his clients were merely protesters, Abubakar described the treason charges against them as bizarre.
“The protesters were merely exercising their rights. My Lord will also recall that the defendants have been in custody long before the said (remand) order was granted. In fact, some for 30 days and some for 28 days.
“We are applying under the fundamental legal footing, both judicial and statutory from the authorities, that this honorable court admits the 1st and 3rd defendants to bail. We urge Your Lordship to admit the defendants to bail in the most liberal terms.”
Counsel for the 9th defendant, Hamza Dantani, told the court that his client was seriously ill and suffering from asthma.
He said, “On behalf of the 9th defendant, we equally align ourselves with the submission of the defendants.
“The 9th defendant is seriously battling with ill health. He was granted administrative bail before he was rearrested. He is an asthmatic patient, and in the interest of justice, we pray Your Lordship to admit him to bail as he has never had any criminal record in the past; he will not jump bail if granted,” Dantani said.
Similarly, counsel for the 6th, 7th, and 8th defendants, Deji Adeyanju, appealed to Justice Nwite to use the discretion of the court to grant his clients bail, as they were only protesting.
“The case of the prosecution is specifically weak against my clients, My Lord. They said in their witness statements that they just participated in a protest, not treason. The proof of evidence before the court involves issues of primary school and secondary school; how does that amount to treason? My Lord, we are asking the court to grant them bail in liberal terms. They are law-abiding citizens; none of the defendants is a criminal, none of them will jump bail,” he said.
The prosecution counsel, Simon Lough (SAN), however, opposed the oral bail submissions, while also insisting on the treason charges against the defendants.
“Bail can only be granted in exceptional circumstances; those exceptional circumstances as listed in the ACJA,” the SAN said.
After listening to the parties, Justice Nwite adjourned the case until September 11 for ruling, while ordering that the defendants be remanded in custody until then.
However, the civil rights group Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the prosecution of the protesters, describing the trial as a sham.
In a statement on Monday, the Country Director of Amnesty International, Isa Sanusi, said the charges against the protesters showed how far the authorities would go to manipulate the justice system to silence critical voices.
“Some of the charges filed against the protesters, ranging from treason, which carries the death penalty, to allegations of a ‘plan to destabilize Nigeria,’ show how far Nigerian authorities can go in manipulating the criminal justice system to silence critical voices. These are blatantly trumped-up charges that must be immediately withdrawn.
“We condemn these sham trials even before they begin and call for an end to these endless, bizarre attempts to deprive people of the right to peaceful protest. What is going to happen to these protesters — who took to the streets last month seeking good governance — is a disguised exercise solely aimed at punishing dissenters.
“These attempts by President Bola Tinubu’s government to charge those who protested against widespread poverty and rampant corruption with treason are beyond absurd and baseless. The Nigerian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all those arrested from 1-10 August for exercising their right to peaceful assembly, instead of subjecting them to an unfair trial just to justify detaining them unlawfully,” the organization said.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
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