National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Olumide Olusegun
Presidential Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party, Peter Obi have condemned the arraignment of some malnourished minors arrested in during the #EndBadGovernance Protest.
Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to 114 protesters involved in the #EndBadGovernance movement, setting the bail amount at N10 million each on November 1, 2024.
The defendants, including several minors, pleaded not guilty to charges brought against them by the Inspector General of Police. During the arraignment of the first group of 76, four protesters collapsed, leading to a temporary suspension of proceedings for medical assistance.
Upon reconvening, the prosecution requested the dismissal of charges against the ill defendants, allowing the remaining 72 to continue their arraignment.
The police’s indictment accused the protesters of conspiring with British national Andrew Martin Wynne to destabilize Nigeria during the August 1 protests in northern states. They faced serious charges, including assaulting police officers and arson targeting police stations and other government facilities.
All defendants pleaded not guilty. Their legal team, led by Marshall Abubakar, sought bail pending trial, a request that the prosecution did not oppose. Justice Egwatu ruled that each defendant must provide two sureties, including a civil servant and a parent or sibling.
Given that some defendants were under 18, the judge ordered adult defendants to be remanded at Kuje Correctional Service, while minors would be placed in a Borstal Home.
The trial is set to continue on January 24, 2025.
In a separate proceeding, another group of 42 protesters was arraigned on similar charges and also granted the same bail conditions.
Earlier, chaos erupted in the courtroom when several underage defendants collapsed while trying to enter the dock, raising serious health concerns. Reports indicate that these minors had been deprived of adequate nutrition for several days, contributing to their frail condition.
The protesters had been detained following an ex-parte application from Justice Emeka Nwite, allowing the police to hold them for 60 days to complete their investigations. Thirteen protesters were reportedly transferred from IRT cells, with others moved from various divisions in Abuja.
In response, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, condemned the treatment of the minors involved in the protests.
He called for a thorough investigation by the Minister of Justice, the Police, the DSS, and the National Human Rights Commission.
Amnesty International also urged the Federal Government to release the detained minors, stating, “Amnesty International condemns President Bola Tinubu’s government for the continued detention of minors for participating in the August protests.
The attempt to subject them to a sham trial for alleged ‘treason’ shows a blatant disregard for the rule of law. They must be released immediately and unconditionally.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar expressed his outrage over viral videos depicting malnourished children being arraigned.
In a statement, he noted, “If they are only being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the dehumanizing conditions they have endured in detention. It is reprehensible for a leader who has fought for democracy to now demonize those protesting against his harsh policies.
Children affected by these policies have every right to protest peacefully, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act. A nation is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens.”
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) also condemned the detention and reported maltreatment of the minors.
The organization expressed deep concern after reports emerged that several detained children, some as young as 15, collapsed due to malnutrition during their court appearance.
CISLAC called on First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to intervene, urging her to see these young detainees as “her own children.”
The organization also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to cease these actions by government officials and immediately release the minors.
“It is disturbing and damaging to Nigeria’s global image to witness such treatment of young citizens exercising their constitutional rights,” stated CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani.
“The inhumane detention and maltreatment of these children must end. Those responsible for unjustly detaining them are the true criminals here, and this incident warrants urgent intervention.”
Images and videos from the courtroom, widely shared on social media, depict minors lying on the floor as lawyers and others attempted to assist them.
The minors had reportedly been denied adequate food and medical care while in police detention.
CISLAC called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take immediate action to advocate for the rights of the detained minors.
Reacting, the Federal Government assured that it would enhance the welfare of minors arrested during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, stated this in a statement on Friday.
Olawande stated that the ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Interior to ascertain the situation and improve the conditions of the young people detained, not only in this case but across all custodial facilities in Nigeria.
He emphasized the ministry’s commitment to safeguarding the interests and welfare of young Nigerians, assuring that measures will be taken to address the issues faced by these minors.
