By Terna Chikpa
The Taraba State High Court II sitting in Jalingo on Tuesday adjourned until July 30, 2026, to rule on an application seeking a variation of the bail conditions in the case between Mr. Isa Jibril and Taraba-based businessman and journalist, Mr. Gabriel Olayinka.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that Olayinka is standing trial over alleged criminal breach of trust and has been in detention at the Jalingo Correctional Centre since January 2026.
The medium further reports that an Upper Area Court in Jalingo had ordered that the sum of ₦100 million be deposited in the court registry, alongside one surety, as conditions for the accused journalist’s release on bail.
Counsel to the defendant, Barr. P.D. Pius of P.D. Pius & Associates, is seeking a variation of the bail conditions to enable his client to regain his freedom.
When the matter came up for hearing, counsel to the complainant, Barr. D.G. Tukura, opposed the application and urged the court to strike it out for being incompetent.
Barr. Tukura had earlier filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the competence of the application, as well as a counter-affidavit opposing the request for variation of the bail conditions.
He argued that Order 2 of the court rules stipulates the procedure for filing such applications, which, according to him, the defence failed to comply with.
Tukura further contended that the defence did not clearly state the specific bail conditions imposed by the lower court that it sought to vary or the exact relief it was asking the High Court to grant.
In response, Barr. P.D. Pius argued that the dispute was civil in nature and did not warrant such stringent bail conditions. He urged the court to grant the application to enable his client enjoy his constitutional right to bail.
After listening to both parties, the presiding judge, Justice Nuhu Adi, adjourned the matter until July 30, 2026, for ruling.
