A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted Isaac Bristol a N5 million bail with one surety in like sum.
In a ruling on Friday, Justice Emeka Nwite ruled in response to a motion on notice filed by Deji Adeyanju, lawyer to Bristol, that his client (Bristol) must deposit his International passport with the court, as reported by FIJ.
Under the bail conditions, Bristol must provide a surety residing in Abuja with evidence of three years of tax clearance and two passport-sized photographs, in addition to depositing his International passport with the court.
Justice Nwite delivered the ruling following the defendant’s lawyer’s request that the court grant his client the right to regain his freedom.
With evidence and arguments presented and as contained in the motion on notice filed, the court granted Bristol’s lawyer’s prayers.
Bristol was remanded in Kuje Correctional facility in Abuja on September 11, following the infamous August 5 abduction that led to his incarceration.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) accused him of operating the @PIDOMNIGERIA handle on X, though Bristol denied it.
Also, he was accused of unlawfully obtaining, retaining, and disseminating several government documents classified as secrets and in contravention of the Official Secret Act, 1962, including promoting the #EndBadGovernance protest, which the Nigerian authority under President Bola Tinubu deemed to be to sponsor terrorism.
These allegations by the NPF omitted part of human rights violations and the Whistleblowers Protection Act, which has sparked public debates and a call for a review of whistleblowers’ protection under law in Nigeria.
As of press time, Bristol is yet to make an official statement about his release.
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