A Nigerian journalist facing terrorism, economic sabotage and
fraud charges has been granted conditional bail, court officials
said Tuesday — but has to stay in jail until he meets the
conditions.
Judge Ijeoma Ojukwu granted a defence request for bail to Jones
Abiri, editor and publisher of the Weekly Source newspaper, in a
hearing Monday.
She set the date for the start of the trial on Friday.
Abiri denies charges of sending text messages to oil companies
threatening to blow up their facilities. He says he has been
targeted for his coverage of the neglect of his native Niger Delta
by oil companies and the government.
Judge Ojukwu ordered Abiri to pay 100 million naira (282,000
dollars) and also to provide a guarantor who would have to be a
landowner, a common proviso in Nigerian courts. Until then, he has
to remain in custody, the judge added.
Abiri was previously detained by intelligence officers for two
years without trial over alleged links to armed rebel groups in the
Niger Delta region.
He was freed last August following a campaign by rights
organisations.
AFP
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