The Sokoto State High Court has granted bail to Dr. Abubakar Alkali, a senior lecturer at Baze University in Abuja, who had been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) for his alleged involvement in supporting the #EndBadGovernance protests....READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE ▶▶
Dr. Alkali, who teaches in the Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, has been in custody for the past three weeks.
The news of his release was confirmed by a legal source familiar with the case, who revealed that the court granted bail to the lecturer on Thursday.
The source also praised the efforts of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), particularly its Citizens’ Liberties Committee and the Sokoto Branch, for their intervention and support throughout the legal proceedings.
Dr. Alkali’s legal team, led by prominent lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju, had previously raised concerns about the lecturer’s detention.
Adeyanju took to social media to bring attention to the case, stating that Dr. Alkali was taken by the DSS from Abuja to Sokoto State in connection with his support for the #EndBadGovernance movement.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, September 14, 2024, Adeyanju expressed alarm over the prolonged detention, describing it as an unlawful abduction by the DSS. “Dr. Abubakar Alkali, a senior lecturer in the Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Baze University, was abducted by the DSS three weeks ago and taken to Sokoto State for supporting the End Bad Governance protest. He has been in custody since then,” Adeyanju wrote.
The case has drawn widespread attention, particularly among civil rights groups and legal advocates, who have expressed concern about the growing trend of arrests related to protests in Nigeria.
Many have viewed Dr. Alkali’s case as part of a broader issue of governmental crackdowns on free expression and peaceful demonstrations.
The granting of bail by the Sokoto State High Court is seen as a significant development in the case, providing some relief to the academic community and civil rights advocates who have been calling for his release.
The next steps in Dr. Alkali’s legal process are yet to be fully outlined, but the bail decision is a positive sign for his legal team and supporters.
