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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed concern over what it described as a growing pattern of excessive and unrealistic bail conditions being imposed by courts and law enforcement agencies across the country.
In a statement, NBA President Afam Osigwe said bail conditions should not defeat the constitutional purpose of granting temporary freedom to accused persons while awaiting trial.
He stressed that bail is intended to ensure that defendants appear in court and should not be used as a form of punishment before a verdict is reached.
“Bail is neither a punishment nor a mechanism for imposing pre-trial incarceration by indirect means,” Osigwe said.
According to him, the association had observed cases where defendants were required to provide sureties who are senior civil servants on Grade Levels 16 or 17, or present landed properties worth hundreds of millions of naira, before they could be released on bail.
According to the NBA, such requirements effectively amount to a denial of bail because many accused persons are unable to meet them despite being granted bail by the courts.
The legal body cited previous court decisions to support its position. It referenced the case of Suleman & Anor v. Commissioner of Police, Plateau State, in which the Supreme Court held that bail is meant to guarantee pre-trial freedom and should not create impossible hurdles for defendants.
The NBA also pointed to Dasuki v. Director-General, State Security Service, where the Court of Appeal criticised the practice of demanding serving public officers as sureties, describing the requirement as unrealistic and inconsistent with public service regulations.
Osigwe reminded judicial officers that Section 165(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, clearly states that bail conditions must not be excessive.
He urged courts across the country to ensure that bail terms remain fair, reasonable, and achievable, warning that conditions which cannot be met are, in practice, equivalent to refusing bail.
“Conditions that cannot be met amount to a refusal of bail,” he said.
The NBA President further argued that limiting sureties to senior civil servants has no legal or rational basis and contributes to overcrowding in correctional facilities by keeping defendants in custody even after bail has been granted.
The Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has criticised the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, over his recent advice to former president Goodluck Jonathan on next year’s general elections.
In a statement on Tuesday evening, the PDP said Keyamo lacks the moral authority to advise Jonathan.
The Eastern Updates reports that Keyamo had asked the ex-president to shelve the idea of running for president in 2027.
Recall that the factional PDP had affirmed Jonathan as its candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The party said it was rather ironic that Keyamo, a man who built his public profile through relentless criticism of governments and public office holders, now seeks to deny others the very democratic space he once occupied with such enthusiasm.
It also recalled that Keyamo who challenged those in power, spoke against perceived injustices and approached the courts in defence of democratic principles.
The party expressed shock that Keyamo now appears very comfortable with the administration’s asphyxiation of the political space against the opposition, while at the same time being totally uncomfortable with citizens and political parties exercising their democratic rights.
The statement read: “Instead of concerning himself with the internal affairs of the PDP, the Minister would do well to devote his energy to addressing the numerous challenges confronting the aviation sector and the wider administration of which he is a part.
“Nigerians are far more interested in solutions to the worsening economic hardship, persistent insecurity, declining purchasing power, and the growing insecurity across the country than in unsolicited political advice directed at President Jonathan.
“A minister who could not effectively implement a simple cashless policy is not the best person to offer advice to a former President.
“Under the APC administration, Nigerians have witnessed unprecedented economic difficulties, repeated collapse of critical infrastructure, rising unemployment, and corruption scandals that continue to raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability in government. These are the issues deserving of the Minister’s commentary and advise to the incumbent president.
“The obvious nervousness that has greeted President Jonathan’s candidacy is understandable, because Nigerians have not forgotten that under his administration, the country enjoyed political stability, sustained economic growth, increased foreign investor confidence, and a more inclusive national atmosphere.
“It is therefore not surprising that many citizens are prevailing on him to return to power to offer stability, national healing and more importantly to reduce the political temperature of the country.
“We can assure Keyamo and the APC that no amount of intimidation, blackmail, or scaremongering can prevent Nigerians from freely expressing their political preferences or supporting leaders they believe can help reposition the country.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the affirmation of former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, following what it described as disruptions to its Special National Convention in Abuja.
In a statement signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the party’s Interim National Working Committee, on Saturday, the PDP alleged that its planned convention was obstructed through the deployment of security personnel and threats directed at the venue management.
According to the party, it had duly notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies of its activities and had secured the A Class Event Centre in Abuja for the convention.
