According to the charge sheet seen by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Abiri sent text messages from his phone number to Shell and Agip officials, threatening to blow their oil installations if his demands were not met.
The journalist strongly denied all allegations, saying he was being targeted for his media work that put a spotlight on the controversial conducts of oil companies and the Nigerian government in the Niger Delta. Ruling on the bail application on Monday, the judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu, said the crime for which the defendant is charged “is bailable”, under special circumstance, as provided under section 161 of the Administrative of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.1) A suspect arrested, detained or charged with an offence punishable with death shall only be admitted to bail by a judge of the High Court, under exceptional circumstances.
ill health of the applicant which shall be confirmed and certified by a medical practitioner employed in a Government hospital, provided that the suspect is able to prove that there are no medical facilities to take care of his illness by the authority detaining him;