Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Four days after a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State and presided by Justice E. Asiago granted Ifekwe Udo the founder of the Church of Satan, Ohafia and 17 others bail, Lucifer as Udo is popularly known, is yet to regain freedom.
Udo and his co-accused were arrested by the police personnel from Force Headquarters, Abuja following the riot at Ebem Ohafia during which government properties, including the police station, state High and magistrates’ courts in Ohafia, worth millions of naira were destroyed by irate youths.
He was later arrested by the state police command for allegedly breaching the COVID-19 protocols directives of the federal and state governments.
The founder of the Church of Satan and others were arraigned before Justice Asiago on Monday and the court granted them bail in the sum of N1, 000,000 with two sureties each, one of which must be a traditional ruler or recognised chief and a senior civil servant.
The court also held that the sureties must have verifiable address, adding that the bail is compartmentalise according to their villages.
However, four days after being granted bail, Udo was yet to be out of prison as it was gathered that no traditional ruler or titled chief in the area have agreed to sign surety for his release.
While it was learnt that a top civil servant has agreed to stand surety for Udo, however, investigations revealed none of the traditional rulers or recognised chiefs from Ohafia has agreed to stand surety for him because of the peculiarity of his case.