By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

LAGOS — FIVE leaders of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, NUBIFIE, granted bail on Monday, by an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos, are still languishing at the Ikoyi Prisons, as their perceived harsh bail conditions and bureaucratic processes have kept them in the prison custody.

They were arrested last Friday and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Lagos based on alleged petition by the management of Diamond Bank Plc,  accusing them of vandalising its property value at N200 million as well as assaulting its employees during a picketing of the bank by the labour leaders and civil society allies on July 10, 2013.

The union leaders who were executive of the bank’s unit of NUBIFIE are Olalekan Adebambo (Chairman), Eniola Ilesanmi (Vice Chairman), Michael Olajide (Secretary) Benjamin Onyia (Treasurer) and Onyeonoro Favour (auditor), had earlier been sacked by the bank among over 400 workers.

NUBIFIE had faulted the sack, describing it as illegal, unprocedural and without payment of their entitlements.

On Monday, after all efforts by the union to get the police authorities release them on bail failed at the weekend, Igbosere Magistrate court granted them bail.