12 supporters of Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Igboho who were arrested after operatives of the Department of State Services raided his Ibadan residence have been granted bail after one month in detention.
They were granted bail after their lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi filed an application asking the court to “inquire into the circumstances constituting grounds of their arrest and detention since July 2, 2021, and where it deems fit admit applicants on bail”.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday August 4, Olajengbesi said that “there is no need to continue to keep them with the respondents.”
David Awo, DSS counsel on his own part said he was not opposed to bail for the 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 11th applicants. He asked the court to keep the remaining four applicants (2nd, 12th, 5th, and 6th) as they were still being investigated.
Ruling on the case, Justice Obiora Egwatu stated that it is clear that no charge has been preferred against the applicants and that they have been in detention since they were arrested.
He admitted the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10 and 11th applicants to bail in the sum of N5 million and two sureties each after saying they have a right to liberty and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
The sureties must be residents of Abuja with an acceptable means of identification and passport photographs. They must also provide evidence of tax payment of two years and swear to an affidavit of means. The residence of the sureties shall also be verified by the court.
Egwuatu said;
“For the 2nd, 5th, 6th and 12 applicants, since no charge has been preferred against them, bail is equally granted to them in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum.
“The sureties shall be resident in Abuja, provide means of identification, passport photograph, evidence of tax payment within 2 years and depose to an affidavit of means.
“One of the surety must be a civil servant in the employ of the federal government or any of its agencies on level 12 and above. He shall provide the original of his employment letter and promotion letter. The residence of the sureties shall be verified.
“Each of the 3rd, 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th applicants, shall report at the office of the respondents every first Monday the month, commencing from the first Monday in September 2021.”
