Michael Adaramoye (Lenin), one of the organisers of the August #EndBadGovernance protests, has been released alongside two others from detention with N10 million bail sum each, nearly two months after their arrest.
Adewale Peluola, a source familiar with the matter, confirmed to FIJ that Lenin was released with Opaluwa Eleojo and Mosiu Sadiq on Thursday evening. The trio were arrested on August 6 on the orders of the National Security Agency (NSA).
He said that the protesters could not be released from prison for more than three weeks after Justice Emeka Nwite granted them bail due to the stringent bail conditions.
READ ALSO: Police, INEC Silent After Amaechi’s Chief of Staff’s Rigging Confession
“They were released from detention around 5 p.m. on Thursday evening. Meeting the bail conditions was not easy. They were stringent – a N10 million bail bond, one surety each in like sum, and with landed property. This explains why it took over three weeks to regain their freedom even though the order came earlier,” he said.
However, he mentioned they are filing a bail variation application to reduce the bail conditions for the release of the remaining five protesters in custody.
Speaking on Lenin’s reaction to his release, he said his spirit remains unbroken, and this might be the price he has to pay for a better Nigeria.
“Lenin’s spirits remain high, and he is committed to the struggle for building a better Nigeria for the benefit of the vast majority,” he told FIJ.
“Nobody enjoys being in captivity, so the experience was not pleasant. But it’s part of the sacrifice every activist should be prepared to make in the struggle for a better society.”
On September 11, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters charged with treason, intimidation of the president, incitement to mutiny, destabilisation of the country, and other crimes to post a N10 million bail each.
In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, the court also demanded that the defendants refrain from participating in further protests or rallies.
In the charge filed against them by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), they were accused of attempting to start a war and setting fire to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) building in Kano, the Kano Printing Press, the Kano Government House, and other buildings.
However, the 10 defendants, one woman and nine men, pleaded not guilty to these charges.
On September 2, Justice Nwite ordered the remand of the protesters at the Kuje Correctional Centre and the Suleja Correctional Centre after the prosecution accused them of planning to overthrow the federal government.
READ ALSO: 6 Kano Policemen Returning From Edo Election Die in Road Accident
The judge had ordered the protesters’ detention after Simon Lough, the prosecutor, opposed bail applications, even though the 10 defendants had pleaded not guilty to all six charges filed against them by the police.
On October 1, Nigeria’s 64th Independence Celebration, Nigerians took to the streets to continue their protests against the harsh economic policies implemented by the Bola Tinubu administration since he became president on May 29, 2023.
The post Finally, Michael Lenin, 2 Other #EndBadGovernance Protesters Regain Freedom appeared first on Foundation For Investigative Journalism.