A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted applications filed by the Nigeria Police to remand 124 arrested #EndBadGovernance protesters for 60 days, pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Justice Emeka Nwite, in separate rulings on ex-parte motions moved by counsel for the Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Ibrahim Mohammed, granted the interim order to remand the suspects until the conclusion of the 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 the investigation.
In the first motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1154/2024, moved by Mohammed on August 14, but with a certified true copy (CTC) of the order obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (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 August 8 but filed August 9, sued 75 protesters with 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 acts of terrorism, treason, and treasonable felonies, including 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, and 412 of the 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 the Legal and Prosecution Section, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, deposed to the affidavit in support of the motion.
She said the IG’s office, through the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), received a damningly credible intelligence report of a planned violent uprising against the government of the states and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Ogochukwu averred that “the planned violent insurrection was believed to have been orchestrated by terrorist groups both within and outside Nigeria to unleash terror against the sovereign states of Nigeria, scheduled to start from the 1st day of August 2024.”
She said, “Despite serious security measures intensified by the various law enforcement agencies, the planned protest took place as scheduled and seriously intimidated the populace and seriously destabilised or destroyed the fundamental, political, constitutional, economic, or social structures of some parts of Nigeria.”
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.
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 the investigation.
The judge, who directed that the underage defendants be remanded in Borstal Home of the correctional centre, adjourned the case until October 23 for mention.
The motion, dated August 20, was filed on August 21.
Giving four grounds why the application should be granted, Mohammed said that the defendants engaged in the offence of terrorism financing to overthrow a democratically elected government.
Some of the defendants include Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo, Michael Adaramuye, Musiu Sadiq, Buhari Lawal, Love Angel Innocent, Suleiman Yakubu, Yunusa Aliyu, Ahmad Nasir, Muhammed Sani, Iliyasu Anas, Abdullahi Sani, and Gaddafi Muhammed.
They also include Jibrin Abdulhakim, Mahmud Umar, Kabiru Rabiu, Aminu Muhammed, Sagir Hassan, Lukman Abubakar, and Ahmed Isah.
Others are Abdullahi Abdulwahab, Hassan Muhammad, Abdullahi Salisu, Sabo Murtala, Fahad Ibrahim, Umar Yakubu, Zakari Yakubu, and Ahmed Haruna.
Alex Enumah
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