NIGERIAN whistleblower, Isaac Bristol, also known as PIDOM, who was arraigned on a nine-count charge, has been released from Kuje Prison after perfecting his bail conditions.
The release followed a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja on September 27, 2024.
Deji Adeyanju, Bristol’s lawyer, shared a picture of himself and Bristol on his X handle on Friday evening, October 4.
He wrote “A happy client and his lawyer. Freedom!”
Also, sharing the news of the release with a picture of Bristol, alongside one other person in front of Kuje Prison, human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, said Bristol had left Kuje Prison after fulfilling his bail conditions.
Sowore has been at the forefront of demanding the whistleblower’s release and was at the Federal High Court last week when the whistleblower was granted bail.
Sowore’s post read, “This afternoon, whistleblower and investigative journo Isaac Bristol @PIDOMNIGERIA left Kuje Prison a free man after fulfilling his bail conditions.”
The ICIR reported that Emeka Nwite, the court’s judge, in his ruling on September 27, granted Bristol ₦5 million bail with one surety in like sum.
He also ordered the accused to drop his international passport with the court.
Part of his bail conditions include that the surety must be resident in Abuja and depose an affidavit of means. Also, the surety must provide evidence of three years of tax clearance with two passport photographs.
Bristol was arrested on August 5, 2024, in his hotel room in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
His arrest was confirmed in a statement by the police public relations officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi on August 24.
According to Adejobi, PIDOM was taken into custody due to accusations of “committing serious offences that undermine the integrity of government operations.”
His arrest however generated concerns among the Nigerian online community, leading to a viral campaign on X with users using hashtags such as #FreePIDOM, #PIDOM, #WhereisPIDOM, among others.
Earlier in September, he was arraigned for money laundering, cybercrime, and unlawfully obtaining, retaining, and disseminating classified official secret documents after which he was sent to Kuje Prison, Abuja.
The ICIR reports that whistleblowers often face state threats in Nigeria, despite rampant corruption in the country.
Anti-corruption advocates have severally appealed to the Nigerian government to sign the whistleblower protection bill into law. The government has failed to heed the calls.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M