Abuja protest: Police arraign 130 shi’ite members

The police on Thursday arraigned about 130 members of the
Islamic Movement of Nigeria (the Shiite Movement) in Abuja over
their alleged involvement in recent clashes with security
personnel.

The defendants were said to be among those arrested during last
Tuesday’s violent protest engaged in by the Shiite members in many
parts of Abuja over the continued detention of their leader,
Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

Those arraigned on Thursday were mostly male, with about 12
women, among whom were nursing mothers. They were arraigned in four
batches before courts 11, 15, 17 and 18 of the Magistrates’ Court,
Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.

They were charged, in a First Information Reports, FIR, tendered
in court, with disturbing public peace, causing bodily harm to
individuals. (including police personnel and members of the
public), among others.

The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to
them, following which their lawyers applied for bail on their
behalf.

Magistrate Njideka Duru of Court 11, before whom about 35 of
them were arraigned, granted each bail at N50,000 with a surety in
like some.

Magistrate Musa Ibrahim Jibo of Court 15 granted the 35
defendants arraigned before him bail at N200,000 with one surety
each.

Magistrate Lateef Abolaji granted bail to the 20 brought before
him at N50,000, while Magistrate Elizabeth Jones Woni granted bail
at N500,000 to each of the 30 brought before her. They Magistrate
directed that they must jointly provide three sureties.

The defendants, who were conveyed to court in two police trucks,
are to be regain freedom upon meeting the bail conditions.

Further hearing has been fixed for December 5.