Court remands six #EndSARS protesters in Abuja

A magistrate’s court in Abuja has remanded six #EndSARS protesters who were arrested after regrouping on Friday.

TheCable had reported how the protesters converged on the entrance of the national assembly in continuation of the demonstration which stared early in October.

But the police used tear gas and gunshots to disperse the protesters while six of them were later arrested.

When the police arraigned them over criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, inciting public disturbance and public nuisance, they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Tope Akinyode, a human rights lawyer who represented the accused persons, said the protesters were being held over “allegations of unlawful assembly and wanting to distort the societal peace.”

“Of course, those are clearly trumped up charges because the protesters protested in accordance with the law,” he said.

Akinyode said the magistrate refused to grant bail to the defendants when he moved an oral bail application.

He said the judge demanded that the bail application be done in writing.

“The magistrate cited the case of Asari Dokubo, an armed militant to reject the bail application. He told us to reapply in writing, ” Akinyode said in a tweet.

A Magistrate has remanded Abuja #EndSARS protesters today. The Magistrate cited the case of Asari Dokubo, an armed militant to reject the bail application. He told us to reapply in writing. We're still in court premises because the Magistrate hasn't signed the remand warrant.

— Tope Akinyode (@TopeAkinyode) November 6, 2020

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Those arrested are Oluwatosin Adeniji, Paul Akinwumi, Davo Chom, Abdulsalam Zuberu and Kabiru Gasali.

In a video posted online, Adeniji said the matter had been adjourned till January 25, 2021.

Violence trailed the #EndSARS protest across the country, leading to loss of lives and destruction of property.