Sometimes, life throws you curveballs. And other times, it throws you an N10 million bail for a hunger protest. Yep, you heard that right—ten Nigerians from the #EndBadGovernance movement just got hit with the kind of bail that could buy a small mansion. Their crime? Allegedly calling for a military takeover while challenging President Tinubu’s government.
Let’s break this down.
On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja thought it’d be a great idea to slap a hefty N10 million bail on each of the ten protestors. The judge, Emeka Nwite, didn’t stop there. Each person is also expected to bring a surety (cue the frantic calls to rich uncles), who must be living in Abuja, own property, and be willing to hand over their house papers to the court. Oh, and don’t forget those international passports—because apparently, taking a vacation mid-trial is a no-no.
Now, in case you’re wondering, these aren’t just your run-of-the-mill protesters. The Inspector General of Police claims they tried to storm the Abacha Army Barracks, called for the military to overthrow the government, burned down a police station, and even injured officers. And if that’s not enough, they allegedly incited the public to go full Hulk mode on a bunch of government buildings, including a police station, a court complex, and NCC facilities. Talk about leaving a mark!
Despite all this drama, the judge wasn’t buying the police’s arguments for keeping them locked up. So, he granted bail but laid down the law: no public rallies for these folks until the trial’s over. In the meantime, the ten remain in prison custody until they manage to cough up their bail money and paperwork.
Will they get out soon, or are they stuck in limbo? Guess we'll be watching how this legal rollercoaster plays out. And hey, maybe now’s the time to start a “Bail Fund for Protesters” charity.