Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of several individuals involved in the recent #EndBadGovernance protest at the Kuje Correctional Center. This decision comes as the court prepares to hear their bail application on September 11, 2024.
The protesters, who have been charged with six counts including terrorism, pleaded not guilty to the accusations. The Federal Government’s charges against them include serious offenses such as treason, destabilizing the country, intimidating the President, and vandalizing the National Communications Commission (NCC) office in Kano.
The court session saw heated arguments over bail. The defendants’ counsel requested that their clients be remanded in police custody pending the bail hearing.
However, Simon Lough, SAN, representing the prosecution, opposed this request, citing the severity of the charges, some of which carry capital punishment.
Justice Nwite ultimately ruled against the defendants’ request for police custody, ordering instead that they be held at Kuje Correctional Center.
Additionally, the sole female defendant will be remanded at the Keffi Correctional Center in Nasarawa State. The judge set September 11, 2024, for a ruling on their bail applications.
The charge sheet, dated August 30, 2024, and filed by DCP Simon Lough for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), also names a British citizen, Andrew Wynne, aka Andrew Povich, as a defendant who remains at large.
The indictment, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, accuses the defendants of conspiring to commit treason and other felonies between July 1 and August 4, 2024.
This development highlights the increasing tension surrounding the #EndBadGovernance protests and underscores the serious legal implications faced by those involved in the demonstrations.