A federal high court in Abuja has granted N10 million bail to Olamide Thomas, an activist charged with vitriolic social media comments against Seyi Tinubu.

Thomas was also asked to produce one surety in like sum.

In a ruling delivered on Monday, Emeka Nwite, presiding judge, held that there was no concrete evidence before the court that the defendant would jump bail or interfere with trial.

“I have carefully examined the affidavit evidence of both the defendant and the complainant,” he said.

The judge, who ordered the surety to depose an affidavit of means, also directed the surety to present a three-year tax clearance certificate.

He said the surety must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

Nwite also ordered the defendant and the surety to deposit two recent passport photographs with the registrar of the court. He also ruled that the address of the surety should be verified.

The judge consequently adjourned the case to February 18 for trial.

THE ARREST

On December 13, the activist, who is also a nurse, was arrested in Lagos over allegations of cyberbullying.

She was accused of insulting Tinubu’s son, Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP); and Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, in a Facebook video recorded after the police arrested her on October 20, 2024.

The activist was among the protesters arrested by the police during the rally to commemorate the fourth anniversary of #EndSARS demonstration at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos.

After her arrest in Lagos, she was taken to Abuja.

THE CHARGE

The police accused Thomas of sharing a video on social media in which she stated that “Mr Seyi Tinubu will die this year”.

“That you OLAMIDE ABIODUN THOMAS ‘F’, sometime in 2024, in the Federal Republic of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did knowingly and intentionally transmit or cause the transmission of communication in the form of video recording through computer system or network on your Social media platforms wherein you made remarks in Yoruba language stating that Mr. Seyi Tinubu will die this year, and misfortune and calamity has befallen the Tinubu family, with intent to bully, threaten, harass the person of Mr. Seyi Tinubu, where such communication places the said Mr. Seyi Tinubu in fear of death, violence or bodily harm and you thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under section 24 (2) (a) Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024,” the first count reads.

In the second count, the police accused Thomas of threatening and bullying Egbetokun.

In the third count, the police accused the activist of saying that Adejobi’s children would die before his eyes.

The activist was arraigned on a three-count charge on December 20.

The Lagos state government says it will commence enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics (SUPs) in January 2025.

SUPs are products intended for short-term use, typically discarded after a single application, contributing significantly to waste and environmental pollution.

On January 21 2024, Lagos banned the use and distribution of styrofoam and other SUPs to reduce environmental pollution across the state.

Speaking on Monday during an inspection of flood-prone areas on Lagos Island, Tokunbo Wahab, the commissioner for environment and water resources, said there has been reduction in styrofoam litter in the state.

He said plans were underway to ensure a smooth phase-out of SUPs in the state.

“There is no going back on a total ban of SUPs. We are currently having conversations in respect of how to phase them off. The enforcement will take effect before the end of January,” Wahab said.

“Littering, especially with Styrofoam, has reduced compared to when enforcement of its ban initially started.”

The commissioner, who also inspected the Ilubirin pump station, decried the condition of the project noting that “bad human behaviour has clogged up the system”.

He added that the tour was essentially to review the state of the projects and determine if the state would continue with them.

“In fairness to the government, we saw the level of degradation. There was infrastructure built by Julius Berger under a government contract, properly done with a road network, functional drainage, and walkways,” he said

“This tour became necessary to ensure the contractors are ready to commence and to see if the contract period can be abridged.”

Three Nigerian women arrested and prosecuted for alleged drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia have been acquitted and released.

In a statement on Sunday, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the spokesperson of the federal ministry of foreign affairs, said women were released after “prolonged diplomatic and legal engagements” between the Nigerian government and Saudi authorities”.

The trio, identified as Hadiza Abba, Fatima Malah, and Fatima Gamboi, were arrested for alleged possession of a substance suspected to be cocaine while on pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Ebienfa said they were arrested and prosecuted on March 5, 2024, at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and released after spending 10 months in detention.

“The arrest of the three women was a result of the earlier arrest of two Nigerian nationals, who were found in possession of 80 capsules of cocaine weighing 900.28 gm and 70 capsules of cocaine weighing 789.5 gm, respectively,” the statement reads.

“The women were detained by the Saudi authorities on suspicion of being accomplices and abetting the trafficking of the banned substance found on the aforementioned arrested Nigerians.

“The ministry wishes to recall that the trio’s arrest attracted much attention in Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.

“Their successful release was achieved after prolonged diplomatic and legal engagements, which culminated in their discharge and acquittal, as well as subsequent handover to the consulate-general of Nigeria in Jedda.

“The ladies were received by Amb. Muazam Nayaya, consul-general of Nigeria in Jeddah, who is currently awaiting relevant immigration processes for their return to Nigeria to reunite with their families.”