Magistrate Court Grants Odey Oyama and Others Bail After 8 Days in Detention 

By Missang AKPET

Environmental crusader and director of the Rainforest Resources and Development Centre (RRDC) Mr Odey Oyama has been granted bail after 8 days in police custody.

A magistrate court sitting in Calabar presided over by magistrate Okoho Bassey granted Odey and 4 others bail in 2 separate charges with a condition of 5 million Naira and 2 sureties which one must be a civil servant who has attained at least the directorate cadre or a village chief.

In her rulling, the magistrate, Okoho Bassey in suit no mc/ 20c/2025 said, the court has a duty to protect the rule of law as well as the rights of citizens.

According to her, “I’m careful not to strike out this case even though it is incompetent before me, when a case is brought before a magistrate court for the purpose of remand, it ought to comply with section 290 sub section 1 and 2 of Cross river state administration of criminal justice law, but in this case, only the charge is brought, no case file and no motion. The prosecutor did not act in good faith” she said.

Recall that on January 14, 2025 the embattled environmental activist and four others namely Alobi Ofuka, Ogbesi Missang Opene, Samuel Agbor and 
Konye Edim Eka were arrested by the police from Okuni area command in Okuni in Ikom local government area.

They were later charged to court on Thursday January 16 for promoting communal war in effi community in Okuni village even though the prosecuting council could not establish any evidence for the claim.

The matter has however been adjourned to February 7 2024 for further hearing.