Posted by Even after being granted bail by the State Upper Shari’a Court 11 in Gusau, the state’s capital, Hon. Ikira Aliyu Bilbis, a former minister of information and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Zamfara Central, remains in custody.
According to information obtained by gosplecable, he was unable to satisfy the bail requirements, which included providing sureties in the form of an active permanent secretary and a person with a home worth at least N20 million in Gusau, the capital of the state.
According to information obtained by gospelcable, the judge’s requirement that he present a working permanent secretary for his bail was violated when a permanent secretary (name withheld) who agreed to stand for his bail retired last week.
All attempts to reach the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state chairman, Hon. Muktar Mohammed Lugga, for comment were unsuccessful, however, as the PDP leaders have been engaged in a number of crucial meetings since some of their members were detained and arrested by the police.
Recall that the minister and other PDP chieftains in the state were arrested and arraigned by the Zamfara State Police Command for alleged criminal conspiracy, public disturbances and other criminal offences during the PDP rally in the state last Sunday.
The ruling APC in Zamfara State claimed that PDP thugs destroyed its billboards, posters and other properties belonging to innocent citizens of the state.
The police command however arraigned the former minister before Magistrate Court 1 for alleged criminal conspiracy, public disturbances and other criminal offences but the case was transferred to the State Upper Shari’a Court 11 for determination.
The Upper Shari’a court judge, Mallam Jibril Ibrahim, had granted bail to the former minister on condition that he would bring a serving permanent secretary to stand as surety for his bail.
Another requirement was that the minister’s bail be signed by the owner of a certificated home in Gusau, the state capital, worth at least N20 million.
The investigation carried out by gospelcable revealed that the party is yet to meet these conditions, giving the excuse that the leadership of the party in the state have been holding meeting after meeting to find a way of bailing the PDP heavyweights in police custody.