Sokoto High Court Grants Bail to Baze University Lecturer Abubakar Alkali Detained by DSS for Supporting #EndBadGovernance Protests
Summary: Dr. Abubakar Alkali, a Senior Lecturer at Baze University, has been granted bail by the Sokoto State High Court after being detained for three weeks by the Department of State Services (DSS). Alkali was held on allegations of supporting the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
Sokoto State High Court has granted bail to Dr. Abubakar Alkali, a Senior Lecturer at Baze University, who had been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) for his alleged support of the #EndBadGovernance protests. Dr. Alkali, who teaches in the Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering at Baze University, had been in DSS custody for the past three weeks.
The court's decision comes after a significant outcry from various legal and civil rights organizations. SaharaReporters confirmed on Thursday that Dr. Alkali was granted bail, marking a crucial development in the case that has attracted considerable attention.
A lawyer close to the case, who wished to remain anonymous, praised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and its Citizens' Liberties Committee, along with the Sokoto Branch of the NBA, for their dedicated support and intervention. The NBA's efforts were instrumental in securing Dr. Alkali's release.
Dr. Alkali’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, had previously raised concerns about his client's detention in a Facebook post on September 14, 2024. Adeyanju highlighted that Dr. Alkali was abducted by the DSS and taken to Sokoto State solely for participating in and supporting the #EndBadGovernance protests. The post drew widespread attention to the case, amplifying calls for the lecturer's release.
Dr. Alkali's case has become a focal point in the ongoing discourse about freedom of expression and the right to protest in Nigeria. The bail decision is seen as a significant victory for civil liberties and a testament to the power of legal advocacy in challenging government overreach.
