After 83 Days in Detention, Nigerian Court Grants Bail To Luka, Epoch Times Reporter

A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has granted bail to detained Epoch Times Reporter, Luka Binniyat, after spending 83 days in detention.
Binniyat was arrested on the 4th of November, 2021 for authoring an article in a US-based online medium, Epoch Times that was deemed defamatory by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan.

At his formal arraignment at the court in Kaduna, the prosecuting lawyers while asking for formal arraignment, added that they would not object to Luka’s bail application.

Earlier, the charges were read to Luka who pleaded not guilty.
The two charges are cyberstalking and aiding and abating the offences of cybercrime and cyberstalking.

Having pleaded not guilty to the charges, the prosecutors formally applied to have him arraigned in court then his bail application was adopted.
Based on the non-objection to the bail
application by the prosecutors, the defence lawyer formally asked for bail on liberal terms.

His bail was granted in the sum of N1 million and two sureties who must be residents of kaduna and have properties with C of O.

The case was subsequently adjourned to 28 February, 2022.