A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted applications filed by the police to remand 124 arrested #EndBadGovernance protesters for 60 days pending the conclusion of investigation. Justice Emeka Nwite, in separate rulings on ex-parte motions moved by Ibrahim Mohammed, counsel for the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police, granted the interim order to remand the suspects until conclusion of investigation.
Justice Nwite equally ordered that the suspects who are minors in the applications be remanded in Borstal Home of the correctional centre pending the conclusion of investigation.
In the first motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1154/2024 moved by Mohammed on Aug 14 but a certified true copy (CTC) of the order, obtained by NAN, the judge directed that the suspects be remanded for 60 days pending the conclusion of investigation and legal advice from the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
The I-G, in the motion dated Aug. 8 but filed Aug. 9, sued 75 protesters with their ages ranging between 14 and 34 years.
They include Abubakar Ibrahim (18), Abubakar Adam (19), Suleiman Ali (16), Mubarak Mas’ud (23), Umar Musa (19), Aminu Hussaini (20), Umar Kabir (23), Ibrahim Musa (24), Abba Usman (30), Umar Inusa (18), Tasi’u Lawan (17), Ibrahim Rabi’u (16) and Jamilu Haruna (16).
The suspects also include Muktar Yahaya (17). Abdulbasit Abdulsalam (34), Salisu Adamu (16), Bilal Auwalu (15), Abdul’aziz Adam (15), Sadiq Sunusi (15), Muhd Musa (14), Usman Amiru (14), Abdulganiyu Musa (15), Muhd Yahaya (19), and Sunusi Nura (14), among others.
They were alleged to have committed offences of acts of terrorism, treason, and treasonable felonies, arson and terrorism.
The police said the offence was contrary to Sections 2(1) and (3), 24 and 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022; Sections 41 and 42 of the Criminal Code Act; Sections 410, 411, 412 Penal Code Act and Section 4 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and other enabling statutes.
Miss Elizabeth Ogochukwu, a Litigation Secretary of Legal and Prosecution Section, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, deposed to the affidavit in support of the motion. She said “despite serious security measures intensified by the various law enforcement agencies, the planned protest took place as scheduled and seriously intimidates the populace and seriously destabilises, or destroys the fundamental, political, constitutional, economic or social structures of some parts of Nigeria. *That the suspects/defendants herein were found to have been carrying Russian flags, banners placards singing slogans agitating for sovereign invasion of Nigerian territory to destabilising or overthrow the sovereign state of Nigeria by the Russian government.”
Ogochukwu said the suspects were arrested in Abuja and various states in possession of many Russian flags and other incriminating exhibits, while others are still at large.
According to her, the suspects/defendants are now in detention in Police cells which are congested and poses serious health challenges on the inmates, and possibility of attack or escape will be ruled out. Also, in the second ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1223/2024 moved by Mohammed on Thursday, Justice Nwite ordered another set of 49 defendants to be remanded for 60 days pending the conclusion of investigation.
“That an order of this Honourable Court is hereby made committing the defendants to correctional centre pursuant to Section 299 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015,” he said in the CTC of the order sighted on Saturday in Abuja.The judge, who directed that the underage defendants be remanded in Borstal Home of the correctional centre, adjourned the case until Oct. 23 for mention.
