The Federal High Court has granted bail to the prominent Nigerian billionaire and Chairman of the Blord Group, Linus Williams, popularly known as B Lord.
This judicial decision comes after the entrepreneur spent time in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force following his high-profile arrest.
The news of his release was confirmed by human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
According to Sowore, the court opted to grant the social media sensation bail on self-recognizance, allowing him to regain his freedom while the legal proceedings continue.
However, the court imposed strict conditions to ensure his continued appearance for trial.
Most notably, the presiding judge directed the socialite to surrender his international passport to the court’s custody. This move is intended to restrict his international travel during the duration of the investigation and subsequent hearings.
“Bail has been granted to Linus Williams, popularly known as @mrblordofficial BLORD, on self-recognizance. The court, however, ordered that he deposit his international passport as part of the bail conditions,” Sowore stated while briefing the public on the matter.
B Lord’s legal troubles began when he was taken into custody by the Cybercrime unit of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja. His arrest followed a series of allegations bordering on cryptocurrency fraud, violations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, and links to terrorism financing.
His companies, including Blord Group, Blord Real Estate, and Jetpaye, have also been under intense scrutiny by federal investigators.
Despite the gravity of the charges, B Lord’s legal team has maintained that the businessman is innocent and that his fintech operations are legitimate.