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Abuja Court Grants N10 Million Bail to 72 #EndBadGovernance Protesters, Including Minors
In Abuja, a federal high court granted bail to 72 individuals facing charges linked to their involvement in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
The protests, which spread across various states, were aimed at speaking out against government policies and pushing for systemic changes in Nigeria.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu presided over the case, setting bail at N10 million for each defendant and outlining strict conditions to secure their release.
According to the judge’s ruling, each person granted bail must provide two sureties, each responsible for the bail amount.
One of these sureties must be a civil servant at grade level 15 or above and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court to enable verification.
The other surety has to be the parent of the defendant, reflecting the court’s decision to add a layer of accountability, particularly for the young individuals involved in the case.
Initially, the court scheduled arraignment for 76 defendants, a significant number of whom were minors.
As the proceedings got underway, it became evident that many of these young people were physically unwell.
Reports indicated that some appeared malnourished, a reflection of the conditions they may have faced since their arrest.
The overcrowding in the courtroom only worsened the situation, as several minors had to stand outside the designated area due to lack of space.
In the middle of the session, four minors collapsed, causing a disturbance that led Justice Egwuatu to temporarily halt proceedings to restore order.
When the court session resumed, prosecutors informed the judge that the names of the four minors who had collapsed would be removed from the list of defendants, allowing them to receive immediate medical attention.
The remaining defendants, who were brought from different states including Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano, were then arraigned.
Each entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against them, which included serious accusations such as treason, among other offences.
The case has drawn attention due to the youth of the defendants and the significant bail conditions attached.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reportedly declared a strike at Taraba State University over outstanding salary-related demands and delays in payments.
The strike is scheduled to begin today, October 12, 2026. According to the union’s chairman, the union had been engaging the Taraba State Government over its outstanding demands since February 2026.
“The union had exercised considerable patience and demonstrated its commitment to dialogue since February 2026, when it began engaging the Taraba State Government over the outstanding issues,” Mbave said.
“The union had earlier suspended its planned industrial action following an appeal by the government for additional time through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in the interest of maintaining industrial harmony,” the chairman added.
The Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Torseer Yina, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town.
The curfew takes effect from Thursday, October 8, 2026, following unrest and violent protests in the area.
According to reports, the action was taken to contain the unrest and violent protests by members of BEMOA following the death of one of its members by unknown gunmen.
The protest, which was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, turned violent after an angry mob burnt two vehicles belonging to the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.
The Gboko council chairman said the curfew takes effect immediately and warned that anyone caught flouting the order or breaching public peace would be decisively dealt with.
Nine people have died in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred on Monday at about 4:55pm around the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the expressway. It involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line and a white Sino truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
The FRSC said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road was wet, with preliminary investigations identifying speed violation as the probable cause.
The FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report, while the bodies of the victims were taken to the General Hospital Morgue in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey speed limits and exercise extra caution when driving in the rain.
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