A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted Isaac Bristol a N5 million bail.
The National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) of Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had identified Bristol as PIDOMNigeria, a prominent whistleblower who has garnered significant attention on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), accusing him of being in the forefront of leaking information against malfeasance of the federal government, especially the security agencies. and sponsoring protests against the government.
Justice Emeka Nwite, presiding over Bristol’s bail hearing on Friday, ruled that the man accused of terrorism provides a surety in like sum before he temporarily regains his freedom.
Nwite said this surety must be resident in Abuja and be willing to depose to an affidavit of means.
Also, the surety must provide evidence of tax clearance for three years and two passport-sized photographs.
He said Bristol must also deposit his international passport with the court.
Deji Adeyanju, counsel for the defendant, filed a motion on notice in the court ahead of the hearing and prayed the court to let his client out of detention.
The court remanded Bristol in the Kuje correctional facility in Abuja on September 11. There, he has served time while awaiting his hearing.
The police accused Bristol of being behind the @PIDOMNigeria handle on X, and using the #EndBadGovernance protest to sponsor terrorism, commit money laundering and other crimes.
In early September, the Nigeria Police Force had initiated formal legal proceedings against him, levying a nine-count charge alleging that he illegally mobilised support from Nigerian citizens to participate in the recent nationwide hunger protests.
These protests, tagged #EndBadGovernance, were held to bring attention to the pervasive issues plaguing the nation and advocate for systemic change.
But in a written Police statement dated August 14, Bristol, through his lawyer, Henry Peter Ekine, said he did not “know any name called PIDOM NIGERIA.”
With additional reports from FIJ
