The Federal High Court in Abuja has demanded 24 sureties as part of bail conditions for the 12 detainees linked to Sunday Igboho, the popular Yoruba nation activist.
This is contrary to the four sureties earlier demanded in the open court.
While expressing dissatisfaction, legal counsel to the associates, Pelumi Olajengbesi, said the team is only aware that the presiding judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, granted the detainees bail with four sureties
The detainees who had been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since their arrest on July 1, were granted bail last week Wednesday.
The bail condition of eight of the suspects whose applications were not challenged by the DSS was pegged at N5million each while four others whose applications were ordered to pay N10million.
Abdulateef Onaolapo, Tajudeen Erinoye, Diekola Jubril, Ayobami Donald, Uthman Adelabu, Oluwafemi Kunle, Raji Kazeem, and Bamidele Sunday were granted N5 million bail.
On the other hand, Amudat Babatunde (AKA Lady K), Okoyemi Tajudeen, Abideen Shittu, and Jamiu Oyetunji were granted N10 million bail.
According to Olajengbesi, Justice Egwuatu granted bail to eight of the detained aides in the sum of N5m, two sureties resident in Abuja, with evidence of two years’ tax payment.
The lawyer said the bail terms for the remaining four were N10m in the like sum, two sureties resident in Abuja with one of them being a civil servant in a Federal Government ministry or any of its agencies with grade level not less than 12.
In a chat with PUNCH, the lawyer said he was at the bail office of the court on Friday to start the vetting and assessment of the sureties when he was told that two sureties, resident in Abuja, were needed for each of the detainees.
He said, “Having got the four sureties and in the process of perfecting the bail conditions, the court clarified that the two sureties there were for each of the detainees, so the court is asking for 24 sureties.
“The bail office clarified from the judge today (Friday). The difference now is that two sureties resident in Abuja per person are needed.”
Reacting to the development, the leader of Afenifere Pan Yoruba socio-political group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said it is a sign of an “oppressive regime” of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “Some people who want to stand as sureties may not want the government to associate them with Igboho.
“What have they done? You locked them up and detained them, then you are asking for impossible bail? It is part of the oppression of this government. What is their charge to warrant such heavy bail? Murder? Stealing or what?
“They woke them up and bundled them to Abuja, killed some of them, and those that are alive are given impossible bail. What further evidence of authoritarian regime do we need? It is unfair. Only God will save us from Buhari. It is an unfair position for bail but I appeal to Yoruba sons and daughters to bail them.”