One of the key organizations behind the #EndBadGovernance protests, the Take It Back Movement, strongly criticized the bail conditions imposed on ten protesters by the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court set the bail at ₦10 million for each of the individuals involved.
Justice Emeka Nwite mandated that each defendant must provide a surety of the same amount, who must be a resident of Abuja and a property owner. The sureties are required to deposit property documents with the court and submit an affidavit of means.
According to the charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, the defendants face serious allegations, including “treason, destabilizing the country, intimidating the President, and damaging the NCC in Kano,” among other charges. The Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, accused the protesters of conspiracy to destabilize the nation between July 1 and August 4, 2024.
In response to the bail conditions, Sanyaolu Juwon, National Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, condemned them as “punitive and excessively stringent.” He emphasized, “While we acknowledge the decision to grant bail, we are adamantly opposed to the harsh conditions imposed for their release.”
Juwon described the ₦10 million bail and the requirement for property-backed sureties as an attempt to further oppress peaceful citizens exercising their constitutional rights. He stressed that the protesters were advocating for good governance, transparency, and accountability, which are not crimes under the constitution.
“Protest is not treason; it is a constitutional right,” Juwon asserted. He also called for the immediate release of the remaining 69 protesters who are still detained without formal charges.
“The ongoing detention of these individuals is a violation of their rights and an abuse of judicial authority,” Juwon stated, urging that all charges against the protesters be dropped. He concluded, “The Take It Back Movement demands an end to the crackdown on lawful demonstrations and insists that the Nigerian government recognize the right of citizens to speak out against bad governance if the nation is to progress.”
