Judge available to release Igboho’s aides — Court

The Federal High Court, Abuja, says there is a judge on ground to sign the warrant of release of Sunday Igboho’s aides who were admitted to bail recently by the court.

Chief Registrar of the court,  Mr Emmanuel Gakko, gave the clarification  in a statement on Wednesday.

Gakko said that Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who admitted the 12 detaineess to bail early in August did not disappear as reported by some media publications.

The chief registrar said that contrary to the claim by the media, Justice Egwuatu did not disappear but rather traveled on a national assignment outside the country.

He stated that although the court is on vacation, there are judges on ground, including Justice Ahmed Mohammed, the other vacation judge.

He said that the lawyer to the detainees ought to have met with the registrar of the court, who would have told him what to do.

He stressed that there was no reason why a judge, after granting bail to a defendant, would  disappear and not be available to endorse it.

He enjoined the media never to hesitate to approach the court to seek clarification on issues concerning the court.

The 12 detained aides were arrested on July 1, following a raid on the residence of Igboho, leader of the Yoruba Nation agitators, in Ibadan and were detained at the facility of the Department of State Service (DSS).

They were, however, admitted to bail by the court following the granting of an application for the enforcement of their fundamental rights.

Eight of the detainees were granted bail in the sum of N5 million each with two sureties in like sum, while the remaining four were admitted to bail in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties in like sum.

Their counsel, Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, however, claimed that after the perfection of their bail conditions, they had gone to the court for endorsement of the release warrant but were told that the judge had traveled out of the country.