Court grants N10m bail each to minors, #EndBadGovernance protesters

A federal high court in Abuja has granted N10 million bail to 72 defendants arraigned over their participation in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest.

Obiora Egwuatu, presiding judge, specified that each defendant must provide two sureties in like sum.

He added that one of the sureties must be a civil servant of grade level 15 or higher, with a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction, while the other surety must be a parent of the defendant.

The court had fixed Friday for the arraignment of 76 defendants — who are mostly minors.

At the commencement of proceedings, the children, who looked ill and malnourished, were asked to come forward to take their plea.

While some huddled in the dock, others stood outside the cubicle due to insufficient space.

However, four minors were rushed out of the courtroom after they collapsed and writhed in pain.

The judge had to rise abruptly before calm returned to the courtroom.

When the court session resumed, the prosecution asked that the names of the four ill children be removed from the charge.

The other defendants were arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

The 76 defendants, who were arrested in Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano states, are being accused of treason, among other offences.