Concerned Nigerians, a pro-democracy group, has accused the Nigerian Police Force of plotting to remand their convener, Deji Adeyanju, and two other persons, Daniel and Boma Williams, in prison till 2019 by stalling bail granted to the activist and two other persons by an area court.

The Spokesperson of the group, Mr. Theophilus Abuh Agada, in a press statement made available to journalists in Abuja, accused the Nigerian Police of plotting to keep their convener in prison till after 2019 general elections.

Mr. Adeyanju was arrested alongside two other persons at the Police Headquarters after a protest to demand police neutrality in the forthcoming general elections in the country.

Adeyanju was later charged to court in a suburb of the capital city, Karshi area court where he was granted bail by the presiding judge.

Mr. Agada said: “Deji Adeyanju and his colleagues were granted bail by an area court in Karshi with very stringent conditions.”

The spokesperson further stated that while their lawyers rallied round to perfect the bail conditions so they could be released, credible information reached them that the magistrate of the area court in Karshi had received information from “above” not to be in court today to approve the bail.

He said: “While the lawyers ignored the report and continued to rally round to perfect the bail conditions in hopes that the judiciary and indeed the area court judge Honorable Aliu Kagarko would not be cowed by the police, we received additional information from a source in the Karshi Court that Honourable Aliu Kagarko was planning to leave Abuja this morning to attend a burial ceremony.

“This is clearly the machinations of the Police who plan to remand Deji Adeyanju and his colleagues in prison perhaps until after the 2019 elections to get him out of circulation.”

The group also said that Adeyanju has been a lone but consistent voice of opposition against the government in the country.

“We reject and resist every attempt to continue to remand Comrade Deji Adeyanju and his colleagues in prison,” it said.

Mr. Agada called on Magistrate Kagarko not to allow himself to be used by the police to perpertuate systematic injustice.

Meanwhile, the police had in a statement through its spokesperson, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, accused the activist of criminal conspiracy, defamation and breach of public peace.

The police further accused Adeyanju, Abobama and Boma Williams of contravening criminal statutes by their conduct both physically and online.

The Police Spokesperson said: “Deji Adeyanju, Daniel Abobama and Boma Williams were arrested by the Police within the powers provided under the constitution, Police Act and Regulations, the Penal Code Law and Procedures to prevent crime and ensure safety of Nigerians.

“They are already arraigned in court in Abuja for prosecution.”

Moshood attached some placards and screenshots of Adeyanju’s Facebook page which the Police found to be criminally defamatory and “capable of inciting public disturbance, threat to public security and safety, criminal defamatory and derogatory conduct against constituted authority and breach of law and order.”

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