Odili home invasion: Court grants N5m bail to three suspects

A federal high court in Abuja has granted bail to three persons allegedly involved in invading the home of Mary Odili, supreme court justice.

Mohammed Yahaya, an assistant superintendent of police, Abdullahi Adamu and Abdullahi Usman were among 15 suspects arraigned before Nkeonye Maha, the presiding judge, on an 18-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy to commit felony and forgery of court documents.

Other charges include an attempt to effect an unlawful search warrant at Odili’s home as well as a threat to her life and members of her household.

Those arraigned are Adjodo F. Lawrence, Michael Diete-Spiff, Alex Onyekuru, Bayero Lawal, Igwe Ernest, Aliyu Umar Ibrahim, Maimuna Maishanu, Ayodele Akindipe and Yusuf Adaiu.

Others are Bashir Musa, Stanley Nkwazema and Shehu Jibo.

However, 12 out of the 15 suspects were granted bail after their arraignment on December 15, 2021.

The judge had refused to grant bail to the remaining three on the grounds that there was no formal bail application before the court.

Delivering a ruling on Monday, Maha granted bail to the three suspects in the sum of N5 million and ordered that the defendants must produce two sureties each.

The judge also directed that the two sureties for each of the defendants must be responsible citizens, and one of them must possess a landed property in Abuja with a verified certificate of occupancy. The second surety must be gainfully employed in Abuja and must show evidence of tax payment for three years.

The judge added that documents of the landed property should be submitted to the registry of the court. The defendants must also submit their passports to the registry.

The judge directed that all the defendants be remanded in Kuje correctional centre pending the perfection of their bail terms.

On October 29, security operatives invaded Odili’s residence in Abuja to enforce a search warrant issued by a magistrate court over the allegation of illegal activities happening at the house.

Documents seen by TheCable, however, revealed that the warrant presented by the security operatives bore a wrong address.