The defendants were said to be among those arrested during last Tuesday’s violent protest by the Shiite members in many parts of Abuja over the continued detention of their leader, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.
Those arraigned on Thursday were mostly male, with about 12 women, among whom were nursing mothers.
They were arraigned in four batches before courts 11, 15, 17 and 18 of the Magistrates’ Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.
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They were charged, in a First Information Reports (FIR) tendered in court, with disturbing public peace, causing bodily harm to individuals (including police personnel and members of the public), among others.
The defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them, following which their lawyers applied for bail on their behalf.
Magistrate Musa Ibrahim Jibo of Court 15 granted the 35 defendants arraigned before him bail at the sum of N200,000 with one surety each, while Magistrate Lateef Abolaji granted bail to the 20 brought before him at the sum of N50,000.
Magistrate Elizabeth Jones Woni granted bail at N500,000 to each of the 30 brought before her and directed that they must jointly provide three sureties.
The defendants, who were conveyed to court in two police trucks, are to be remanded until they meet their bail conditions.
Further hearing in the matter has been fixed for December 5, 2018.
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