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BREAKING: Court grants Sowore N10 million bail, orders he deposits his international passport

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Human rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore has been granted N10 million bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja in the alleged cybercrime charges instituted against him by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Justice Musa Liman granted him bail on Thursday with several conditions, including the requirement to deposit his international passport with the court.

Ohibaba.com previously reported on Wednesday that Sowore was arraigned before the court on a 16-count amended charge but pleaded not guilty to all charges filed by the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun.

On Monday, Sowore visited the Force Criminal Investigation Department to answer questions regarding his remarks against the IGP.

What transpired in previous court proceedings

The police alleged that Sowore referred to Egbetokun as “the illegal IG of the Nigeria Police Force” on his X (formerly Twitter) page and captioned the IGP’s picture with: _“Mediocrity, incompetence, corruption, a country run by characterless people cannot make progress.”

During the proceedings, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, filed a motion dated January 29, 2025, seeking bail on liberal terms.

“Principally, we are asking for the release of the applicant on bail on self-recognition or the most liberal terms possible, pending the hearing and determination of the trial,” Abubakar said.

Abubakar argued that the court has discretionary powers regarding bail applications.

He stated that the defendant was invited by the police via a WhatsApp message, which he honored.

He also noted that the police had previously granted Sowore administrative bail.

However, the police counsel, M. Uddy Jonathan, opposed the bail application, presenting a counter-affidavit deposed by police intelligence officer Friday Ameh.

“We urge the court to dismiss the bail application. Bail cannot be granted in a vacuum,” he said.

He added that if the court were inclined to grant bail, it should impose conditions that ensure Sowore’s continued appearance at trial.

He also urged the court to mandate Sowore to deposit his international passport.

Ruling on the bail application on Thursday, the judge stated that a person has the right to bail unless there are compelling reasons to deny it.

The judge noted that the police argued that Sowore had cronies within and outside Nigeria who could allegedly interfere with the trial.

However, the judge ruled that the police failed to prove how Sowore could intimidate high-ranking police officers who would testify in the case.

He further stated that the prosecution did not establish any link between Sowore and the purported cronies.

The judge concluded that the bail applicant deserves his personal liberty pending the outcome of the trial.

“If the applicant desires to jump bail, it is to his own peril,” the judge remarked, noting that the police had previously granted Sowore administrative bail.

“Bail is accordingly granted to the applicant in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum,”the judge ruled.

Additionally, the judge ordered that:

The applicant must deposit his international passport with the court.

The surety must be a responsible Nigerian citizen residing within the court’s jurisdiction.

The surety must submit an affidavit of means and title documents of landed property in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which must be verified by the court registrar, along with a valid means of identification.

Following the ruling, Sowore’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, requested that his client be released to his legal team pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions within a few hours.

The judge granted Sowore a 24-hour extension to remain with his lawyers.

The case was adjourned to April 8, 2025.

Crime

Ghana Court Jails Three Nigerians 96 years for Car Thefts

All three convicts : Francis Friday, Linus Agwazie, and Russell Ekenze, are currently serving their sentences at the Kumasi Central Prison.

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Three Nigerians – Francis Friday, Linus Agwazie, and Russell Ekenze, have been sentenced to a combined jail term of 96 years for their involvement in car theft within the Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana.

Ohibaba.com learned that a statement signed by the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Ashanti Regional Police, Godwin Ahianyo, and obtained on Tuesday, said that the Atasemanso Circuit Court sitting in Ghana delivered the sentence.

This is coming amidst a recent protest by Ghanaians over the involvement of Nigerians in alleged criminal activities.

According to Ahianyo, the trio were arrested on June 20 following suspicions that they were involved in targeting and stealing parked vehicles.

The trio were subsequently arraigned before the circuit court on July 22, but only Ekenze pleaded guilty to the charges pressed against him.

Ahianyo stated, “On July 22, 2025, the suspects Francis Friday, Linus Agwazie, and Russell Ekenze were arraigned before the Atasemanso Circuit Court.“

During proceedings, Russell Ekenze pleaded guilty to the charges and was immediately convicted and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in hard labour. The other two suspects, Francis Friday and Linus Agwazie, pleaded not guilty.

“Subsequently, on July 23, 2025, the cases of Francis Friday and Linus Agwazie were heard at Circuit Court 3, where both were found guilty and each was sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment on two counts, with the sentences to run concurrently.

”He added that the three suspects were further arraigned on additional charges in another court and were each sentenced to 20 years.

“On the same day, Circuit Court 1 also heard additional charges against all three suspects, resulting in 20-year IHL sentences each, also on two counts, and to run concurrently.“

Finally, on July 24, 2025, Russell Ekenze was further convicted at Circuit Court 2, receiving an additional 10-year IHL sentence on two counts, to run concurrently with his existing sentence.

“All three convicts, Francis Friday, Linus Agwazie, and Russell Ekenze, are currently serving their sentences at the Kumasi Central Prison,” the statement read.

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Crime

Bayelsa Viral Assault: Court Orders 21-Day Remand for Three Female Suspects

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Three young women linked to a disturbing assault captured in a viral video have been remanded at the Okaka Correctional Centre in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State. The suspects — identified as Kadi Blessing, Becky, and Miracle — appeared before a Magistrate Court on Tuesday, where they were formally arraigned on multiple serious charges.

The case, which has sparked widespread outrage on social media and across the country, involves allegations of a violent physical attack that was recorded and circulated online, drawing the attention of both the public and law enforcement authorities.

During the court proceedings, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) requested additional time to allow investigators to conduct further inquiries into the incident. Granting the request, the presiding magistrate ordered that the defendants be remanded in custody for an initial period of 21 days at the Okaka Correctional Centre.

The three women are currently facing a slew of charges, including assault, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, attempted murder, and other related offenses. Legal experts suggest that the gravity of the allegations could potentially lead to a transfer of the case to a higher court, depending on the outcome of ongoing investigations.

Meanwhile, human rights advocates and child protection groups have called for a thorough and speedy investigation to ensure justice is served, not just for the victim but as a deterrent against similar acts of violence.

Bayelsa State Police Command has assured the public of its commitment to ensuring that all parties involved in the incident are held accountable in accordance with the law.

The court is expected to reconvene after the 21-day remand period to review the findings of the investigation and determine the next phase of legal proceedings.

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Crime

Berlin Power Grid Attack Leaves 43,000 Homes in the Dark

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German police suspect a politically motivated arson attack after two high-voltage pylons caught fire in the Johannisthal neighbourhood of south-eastern Berlin, causing a widespread power outage affecting thousands.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Tuesday on Königsheideweg street, with emergency services alerted around 3 a.m. (0100 GMT). Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze within an hour, but the flames caused significant damage to thick electrical cables on the pylons.

A police spokesman confirmed that criminal investigators are currently at the scene, examining evidence which suggests the use of an accelerant in the attack.

Authorities believe the deliberate nature of the incident and the choice of target point to extremist involvement, though the political affiliation of the perpetrators remains unclear.

The power cut has impacted approximately 43,000 households and 3,000 businesses across several districts including Altglienicke, Grünau, Adlershof, Spindlersfeld, Alt-Johannisthal, and Oberschöneweide. Restoration of electricity supply is expected to take some time, according to fire brigade officials.

The outage has also disrupted local tram services and traffic lights, complicating movement and safety in the affected areas.

Emergency teams were dispatched to two nursing homes, where several patients were transferred to nearby hospitals as a precaution.

Police continue to investigate the incident as part of a broader effort to understand the motive and bring those responsible to justice.

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