By Laraba MUREY
No fewer than six persons held by the Department of State Services, DSS, over their roles in the protests over bad governance in Nigeria, have been freed by the secret police, indications emerged on Sunday.
Competent security sources disclosed that the six persons were freed last Thursday in Kaduna on the orders of the Director General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi.
A source, familiar with the release of the suspects, informed that three other suspects are, however, being processed by the agency for prosecution having been found to culpable in criminal offences during the protest.
The top source said, “The DG DSS is not interested in the incarceration of innocent citizens for expressing their constitutional rights.
“But is also not going to allow criminal elements take laws into their hands.
“There is incontrovertible evidence to press criminal charges against the three persons that are being held because we have a prima facie evidence against them.
“The DG DSS reiterates citizen’s right to peaceful protest as enshrined in the constitution and regard for the rule of law.
“However, he is resolute on upholding the mandate of the service to decisively investigate and bring to justice those who exploit such rights to perpetrate crime,” the source confirmed.
The official disclosed that those released have commended the gesture of the DSS and expressed optimism on the humane face with which the service conducted the investigation that culminated in their unconditional release.
Recall that the #EndBadgovernance protest took place between August 1 and 10 in major cities and towns across the country
The purpose was to draw government’s attention to the hardship in the land.
However, the protest was hijacked by some criminal elements in many states and innocent persons subjected to untold harassment and intimidation by hoodlums.
In a related development, Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court in Abuja penultimate Wednesday granted ten #EndBadGovernance protesters who were arrested and detained for treason among others bail.
While delivering the ruling, the trial judge held that Nigeria’s criminal justice system has its stipulations for the prosecutor and the defendant.
He added, “in the instant case the defendant applicant have shown in their proof of evidence that the defendants’ applicant is just protesters”.
Justice Nwite agreed with the argument of the 1st 2nd and 4th defendants’ counsel, Abubakar Marshall “that anybody charged with a criminal offence must be presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
On this note, he granted the defendants bail.
He said, “I have carefully considered the counsel’s submission on both divides. I at this moment grant the defendants bail notwithstanding the crime.
“The bail is hereby granted to the defendants applicant in the sum of N10m each and one surety in like some”.
The sureties must be residents in Abuja the court ruled.
Justice Nwite also held that the sureties must own properties in Abuja and are to deposit documents of the properties to the court registrar in addition to swearing to affidavit of means.
