Magistrate Court 3 sitting in Lafia Nasarawa State capital,Thursday granted bail to the 38 people arrested by the Nigeria Police and charged for alleged conspiracy, unlawful assembly and public disturbance by fire.
Krestnews recalls that the Nigeria Police had on Jan. 19, 2024 arrested the People on allegations that they block the Lafia/Jos highway in protest after the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed the victory of Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.
The Police said that those arrested comprising eight men and 30 women contravened the peace accord signed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) and engaged in public protest.
The presiding Magistrate, Mohammed Abdullahi-Lanze granted the accused persons bail after the hearing on the bail application filed by counsels to the defendants.
The Magistrate however, directed that the defendants must get a surety not below the position of a Director with the State or Federal Government each staying within the jurisdiction of the court.
He also said that each surety must submit his or her identify card, N2 million, letter of first appointment and statement of account to the court.
He therefore, adjourned the case to February 27, 2024 for hearing and directed that all the defendants must be in court on the next adjourned date.
Barr. Labaran Magaji, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney -General (AG) who took over as the prosecuting Counsel, withdrew all the three counter charges.
The AG said that the offences committed by the defendants were bailable by the provision of the laws and as such, the state has withdrawn the counter earlier filed to save the time of the court.
He however, told the court that all the defendants be made to attend subsequent proceedings of the court unfailingly.
Barr. Ayiwulu Baba-Ayiwulu, Counsel to the defendants appealed that the bail condition be simplified to enable his clients meet the bail condition.
He informed the Court that Barr. Esson Mairiga, House of Assembly Member representing Lafia North at the Nasarawa State Assembly has offered to stand as surety to all the defendants.
He Court therefore asked the defending counsel to apply formally and assured that his appeal would be consider in the interest of justice. (NAN).