The Federal High Court Abuja has said it has a judge on ground to sign the warrant of release of Sunday Igboho’s associates granted bail recently by the court.
Chief registrar of the Federal High Court, Emmanuel Gakko, in a statement clarified that Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who admitted the 12 detainees to bail early in August did not disappear as reported by some media publications.
The 12 detainees were arrested in the July 1, early morning raid on the residence of the leader of the Yoruba Nation agitators, Sunday Ighoho in Ibadan, Oyo state and were detained at the facility of the Department of State Service (DSS).
However following the granting of an application for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights, Justice Egwuatu had admitted eight of the detainees to 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.
However, lawyer to the detainees, Pelumi Olajengbesi, claimed that after the perfection of their bail last week, they had gone to the court for endorsement of release warrant but were told the judge had traveled out of the country.
Reacting, Gakko stated that contrary to the claim of the newspapers, Justice Egwuatu did not disappear but went on a national assignment outside the country.
He stated that although the court is on vacation there are Judges on ground, adding that Justice Ahmed Mohammed the other vacation judge with Egwuatu is available. He added 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 stated that there was no reason why a judge after granting bail to a defendant would disappear and not be available to endorse it.
He charged journalists to always approach the court and cross check their facts before publication.
