#EndSARS: Student illegally detained for leading protest regains freedom

A student of Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, detained for for leading a protest against police brutality has regained freedom after 30 days.

Moyinoluwa Olowoyo was released on bail on Monday by a magistrate in Ekiti State after his arraignment by the police.

He was charged before the magistrate’s court for joining others at large to burn a police station during the #EndSARS protest.

“That you, Olowoyo Moyinoluwa Victor, and others still at large on October 20, 2020, at Ikere Ekiti in Ikere Ekiti magisterial district, did unlawfully set ablaze the building of the Nigeria Police station, Ikere Ekiti, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code Cap C16 Laws of Ekiti State, 2012,” one of the charges read.

But the magistrate, Abdul Lawal, granted Mr Olowoyo bail on liberal terms, asking him to bring two sureties who must not be below level 10 in the state civil service.

The magistrate then adjourned the matter to December 4.

Speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday morning, the younger brother of Mr Olowoyo, Olayemi, said “he was granted bail yesterday and he has been released.”

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Olowoyo was arrested on October 20 at a peaceful protest at the state capital.

Following his arrest, he was taken to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja on October 22 and kept in detention illegally for a week.

The police on October 29, returned Mr Olowoyo to the custody of the Ekiti Police State CID in Ado-Ekiti where he was kept until his arraignment on Monday following a public outcry.