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Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The Federal High Court, Awka, presided over by Justice Babatunde Quadri, on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of the six students and a lecturer of Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State, standing trial in his court on bail.
The students have been in detention since January when they were arrested on the orders of the Madonna University authorities for opinions they posted on Facebook which the school considered injurious.
The defendants, who had earlier been granted bail by the court in February, had applied for the variation of the conditions of bail which they described as stringent.
Giving the order for their release in a ruling at the resumed hearing Wednesday after three adjournments as a result of his absence, Justice Quadri said the seven accused should be released immediately on new conditions of bail.
Quadri said the order for their immediate release had become necessary in view of the annual long vacation of judges.
He, however, gave the defendants two months within which time they should perfect their bail conditions.
