Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has varied the bail condition for Bayelsa-based journalist, Jones Abiri who has been facing trial for alleged involvement in terrorism and militancy. 

In her ruling at the resumed hearing Monday, the judge reviewed an earlier decision on the bail conditions stipulating that a surety, a civil servant of grade level 14, who must possess a landed property in Abuja Metropolis, provides a bail bond in the sum of 100million naira.

Galaxy’s Godfrey Eshiemoghie reports that Justice Ojukwu instead heeded the defendant applicant’s request seeking that the court substitutes the initial order, on grounds that Mr. Abiri does not know anyone in Abuja who owns a landed property in the metropolis who can stand in as surety to perfect the bail terms.

But in agreeing to this, the judge, however, demanded that the surety, Frederick Ekebiri, the defendant’s cousin who was present in court deposited the title deeds of the property he owns which is located in Mararaba, in the outskirts of Abuja.

The surety, a staff of the Federal Ministry of Power, who was also required to swear to an affidavit of having the means that exceeding the bail bonds, assured in that respect, while further noting that Mr. Abiri will not jump bail.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned till 17^th October for hearing on an application by the prosecution seeking the shielding of the three witnesses, DSS operatives, to be presented during the trial which is scheduled to commence the same day.

Jones Abiri, a publisher of a Bayelsa-based newspaper, was arrested in 2016 and detained for two years without trial for alleged terrorism and militancy.