Court Decision Sparks Attention As Justice Crack Gets ₦5 Million Bail Approval

Delivering her ruling on Monday, May 18, the judge ordered that the defendant must provide a surety in an equal amount.

The court further directed that the surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and maintain a verifiable address for at least four years. Proof of residence—such as a tenancy agreement or certificate of occupancy—must also be submitted at the court registry.

Justice Abdulmalik added that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15.

The court also required the surety to present evidence of at least three months’ salary, a letter of identification from the head of department, and proof of pensionable employment. In addition, an affidavit of means and a recent passport photograph must be provided.

As part of the bail conditions, the defendant was also ordered to submit his international passport to the court.

Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution counsel informed the court that it was ready to begin trial.

A first prosecution witness, DSS operative Uruntu Douglas, told the court he became involved in the case after being transferred from the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps during an investigation.

He testified that the defendant voluntarily made a statement in the presence of his lawyers.

Douglas alleged that soldiers had forwarded images to the defendant, which were later used to create videos and circulated on social media without verification from official military sources.

He further stated that investigators extracted data from the defendant’s phone, including allegedly posted videos, chats with military personnel, conversations with his godfather about protests, and other social media records. A certificate of compliance, he said, was issued following forensic analysis.

During the hearing, defence counsel Sam Amadi said the defence had not been served with some of the prosecution’s documents. The prosecution attributed the lapse to an oversight and apologised to the court.

Justice Abdulmalik thereafter admitted the DSS investigation report as Exhibit A.

The prosecution also tendered an iPhone allegedly recovered from the defendant, a flash drive said to contain social media videos and conversations extracted from the device, and other supporting documents.

The defence objected to the flash drive, arguing that its contents were not properly presented or demonstrated in court.

After hearing both sides, the judge adjourned the case until May 25 for continuation of trial. The prosecution witness had not been discharged as of the adjournment.