Court Remands Six #EndSARS Protesters In Abuja

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A magistrate court sitting in Abuja has remanded six protesters arrested who participated in the #ENDSARS protest at the complex of the National Assembly to a correctional center till Jan 25, 2021.

The protesters were, however, in high spirits despite the ruling of the court as they vowed not give up on their demands for a better Nigeria.

The Nigerian police had on Friday arraigned the protesters on the offenses bordering on criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, inciting public disturbance, and public nuisance to which the defendants pleaded not guilty.

The protesters, who had only reemerged peacefully, to echo their demands to the government were shot at and arrested by the police.

The prosecution counsel, John Ijagbemi, applied for the remand of the defendants at the correctional center while hinging on the ground that there was a likelihood of the defendants to commit the same offense when admitted to bail.

He also argued that the action of the defendants was a threat to the peace and security of the society.

The lead defense counsel, Tope Akinyode, while opposing the application submitted said that the court has the discretion to admit the defendants to bail on the liberal terms.

He cited section 32 (sub-section 1,2 and 3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act ( ACJA ) and section 158, 163 & 164 to support his bail application.

The court, however, struck out the oral application for bail on the basis of incompetency and held that the defendants were at liberty to file for a formal bail application when they were ready before the adjourned date of the case.

Akinyode said he would file a written bail application before the court within a short period of time and secure the release of his clients.

Those remanded includes: Oluwatosin Adeniyi, Paul Akinwumi, Davo Chom, Abdulsalam Zuberu, Paul Akineumi and Kabiru Gasali