By John Moses
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to a pregnant woman, Mrs Veronica Ekeh, who is facing trial on charges related to human trafficking. Her husband, a co-defendant in the same case, was ordered to remain in custody.
Presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, ruled on Wednesday that Mrs Ekeh should be released on bail due to her medical condition, while setting stringent conditions for her release. She is required to provide bail in the sum of ₦10 million, along with two sureties in like amount. At least one surety must reside in Abuja and have verifiable employment.
“While the charges are serious, I must consider the health of the defendant. Given her pregnancy, the court will allow bail under strict conditions,” Justice Nyako said.
She also restricted Mrs Ekeh from leaving Abuja without prior permission from the court and adjourned the trial until 26 June for further proceedings.
Both defendants are accused of trafficking a young woman to Burkina Faso for the purposes of prostitution. The prosecution, represented by counsel H.M. Esa, opposed bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations and the risk posed to a key witness—identified as the couple’s neighbour—who may be vulnerable to intimidation or harm if the defendants are freed.
Defence counsel, Mr J. Obanwudeh, argued that his clients should be granted bail to prepare adequately for their defence, stating that bail is a constitutional right. The court, however, opted to differentiate between the co-defendants based on individual circumstances.
The trial is part of Nigeria’s broader crackdown on human trafficking networks, many of which have been linked to cross-border criminal activities in West Africa.
