A good number of the 65 protesters arrested in parts of the country were on Wednesday granted administrative bail by the police at the various state commands.
Fatai Olaseni, Co-Convener and spokesperson of the Coalition for Revolution (CORE), organizers of the mass peaceful protests confirmed on phone that in Lagos, Abuja Akwa Ibom and several states, several of the detainees had breathed air of freedom.
He stressed that almost all the journalists, who were arrested and detained in parts of the country, had been released, even as he disclosed that efforts were being made to perfect the conditions of the bails for some of the detainees in several cases.
He said he could not give the exact figure of those already freed out of the 65 arrested, saying that the CORE secretariat was still making contacts and compiling figures.
Olaseni expressed confidence that very soon, all the arrested supporters of the mass movement would be released, even as he disclosed that several highly placed individuals, who had sympathy for the protest, had volunteered to stand bail for the detainees.
He expressed happiness over the success, goodwill and support recorded so far by the coalition, adding that thousands of Nigerians at home and in diaspora had signed in to the on-going protest.
He said the protest would not be violent, but ideological, stressing that the organizers had been restrategising, and would make public its next move soon, lamenting that things had gone so bad in the country.
Olaseni stressed that unlike the Federal Government and security agencies, which had been displaying violence against the protesters, the CORE’s march would remain peaceful, but strategic.
On the possibility of judicial interventions, Olaseni maintained that although CORE did not have sufficient confidence in the judiciary, its lawyers had been working in that direction and had been filing necessary papers where necessary to ensure the release of their detained leader, Comrade Omolaye Sowore.
He, however, said that CORE would not be depending solely on the courts, stressing that as a mass movement, their actions and successes, would be determined by the people, describing the on-going protests as a masses-oriented revolution, which should succeed no matter the threats by the Federal Government and its agencies.
Meanwhile, Police in Osun State on Wednesday arraigned before a Osogbo Magistrate Court five members of #RevolutionNow, who were arrested during their protest on Monday.
They were arraigned on three-count charge of unlawful assemblage, disruption and breach of peace and causing panic in the neighbourhood.
They were Owolabi Olawale (32),Fagunwa Temitope (29),Oluwafemi Johnson (28),Owoeye Olaoluwa (22) and Omoleye Stephen (21).
The offence, according to the police charge, contravened Sections 517, 69 and 249 (d) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol II, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002. They however pleaded not guilty of the offences preferred against them.
Counsel to the five accused, Barrister O. Adegoke, pleaded with the court to grant suspects bail in the most liberal term promising to abide by terms listed out by the court.
Adegoke explained further said that some of the accused were member of lecturer and student union members, adding that they were coming from a press conference held at NUJ correspondents’ chapel while they were arrested.
They also told the court that the charges pressed against them were misdemeanor.
The police prosecutor, Mr Felix Okafor, told the court that the five accused and other now at large committed the crime at Olaiya Area Osogbo on Monday.
The presiding magistrate A. O, Ajanaku granted the five accused persons bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety each, while the case was adjourned till August 16 for mention.
Also, the Ogun State Police Command on Wednesday arraigned four suspects arrested during the “Revolution Now” protest before an Abeokuta magistrate court.
The suspects Daniel Abraham ‘m’ 29yrs, Afofun Festus ‘m’ 18yrs. Kolawole Seun ‘m’ 25yrs and Okoro Romeo ‘m’ 38yrs were arraigned on three- count charge of conspiracy, unlawful assembly and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace, punishable under Section 516, 70 and 249 (D) of the Criminal Code laws of Ogun State .
According to a statement issued by Abimbola Oyeyemi (DSP), Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Police Command, the four suspects pleaded not guilty and were admitted to bail, while the case was adjourned to August 15.
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