A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to journalist and whistleblower Bristol Isaac Tamunobiefiri, who has been identified by the Nigeria Police as the person behind the PIDOMNigeria account on X. Bristol is charged with money laundering, unlawfully obtaining and disseminating classified official secret documents, and cybercrime.
The arrest and subsequent arraignment of Bristol have led to clamor for his release and condemnation of the government for perceived attempts to stifle press freedom in Nigeria.
On Friday, Justice Emeka Nwite granted Bristol bail set at ₦5 million, with one surety in like sum. The ruling was based on a bail application filed by Deji Adeyanju, who leads Bristol’s legal team.
Justice Nwite’s ruling however came with stringent conditions. Bristol is required to deposit his international passport with the court, meaning he cannot leave the country during the trial.
Additionally, his surety must be resident in Abuja, provide an affidavit of sufficient means, and present evidence of three years of tax clearance along with two passport photographs.
The Nigeria Police accused Bristol of undermining the integrity of government operations through his activities on @PIDOMNigeria, an X account that is famous for exposing official corruption and other malpractices inside the government.
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