The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has directed the Nigeria Police Force to transfer the case file involving 114 protesters, including minors and adults, accused of “destabilizing” Nigeria, for review.
In a statement on Friday, the AGF reacted to the Federal High Court’s approval of a N10 million bail bond for each of the 114 protesters (both adults and minors) who stand accused of burning police stations, the High Court Complex, and the National Communications Commission (NCC) Complex during the End Bad Governance protests.
This bail totals N1,140,000,000, with each defendant requiring two sureties in like sum.
Following widespread reaction to the arraignment and detention of the protesters, Fagbemi stated that his office would need to examine certain aspects of the treason matter to “make an informed decision.”
Case File Review Underway
Fagbemi acknowledged that the court had ordered the defendants to remain in detention centres (Correction facility and Borstal Home), with the case adjourned to January 2025, and noted that it is beyond his authority to alter the court’s order.
However, he confirmed that his office has instructed the case file’s return and will seek an earlier hearing date.
“It is not within my power to vary the court’s order remanding the defendants in detention centres and adjourning the case to January. However, I have directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file to my office and hand it over to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) tomorrow, Saturday, November 2, 2024.
“I have further instructed the DPPF to immediately begin proceedings to request an earlier adjournment date,” he stated.
The AGF is the chief legal officer of the federation, playing a significant oversight role over government agencies, especially in matters related to the administration of justice.
What you should know
Nairametrics previously reported that Justice Obiora Egwatu granted bail to the defendants on Friday after hearing arguments from both the defendants’ lawyers and the counsel for the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Nairametrics further reports that these new defendants are in addition to ten individuals involved in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, who are accused, along with a British citizen named Andrew Martin Wynne, of conspiring to destabilize Nigeria and intimidate President Bola Tinubu. Allegedly, they attacked and injured police officers, and burned police stations, the High Court Complex, the NCC Complex, and other locations.
- During the arraignment proceedings on Friday, the 114 protesters, aged 14 to 30, were accused of conspiring with Andrew Martin Wynne to destabilize Nigeria.
- They were alleged to have attacked and injured police officers and set fire to police stations, the High Court Complex, the NCC Complex, the Kaduna Investment and Promotions Agency office, and the NURTW office—charges similar to those against the ten defendants in a separate court.
- All 114 pleaded not guilty, allowing them to apply for bail, which the court granted with conditions, including N10 million each and two sureties of the same amount.
The charges against the protesters, filed across several Federal High Courts, are being led by the IGP’s counsel, Simon Lough SAN.
The IGP maintains that charges involving conspiracy, treason, incitement to mutiny, incitement of disaffection against the government, terrorism, and related offenses should not be taken lightly.