EndBadGovernance protest: Police trial of kids is criticized by ACF, NHRC, CISLAC, SERAP, and CHRICED
The Nigeria Police Force filed treason charges against minors who took part in the recent #EndBadGovernance protest before a Federal High Court in Abuja, which was denounced by the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, CISLAC, Resource Center for Human Rights and Civic Education, CHRICED, Concerned Parents and Educators, CPE, and ActionAid.
The nationwide #EndBadGovernance demonstration took place from August 1 to August 10, 2024.
In order to guarantee the prompt and unconditional release of all the #EndBadGovernance protesters, including Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, President Bola Tinubu was urged by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, or SERAP, to use his “leadership position and good offices.”the thirty-two emaciated and starving children.
Additionally, Mr. Femi Falana, an activist and attorney, demanded that the AFG immediately drop the allegations.
The youngsters were charged by the police on Friday with trying to destabilize Nigeria, inciting a mutiny, and yelling, “Tibubu must go, it’s military we want.”
It’s a humiliating display—ACF
Responding, “It is with utter puzzlement that we notice the spectacle of fellow citizens, transported before a Federal High Court at Abuja, on trial on allegations of treason and other offences, arising from their involvement in the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests,” the ACF said in a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba. The majority of the suspects are young people.
The trial is as crude, repulsive, and unsettling as it can be, and it is a display of shame. It is also an example of the worst kind of unnecessary official arrogance. The presiding judge’s abrupt exit from the court after witnessing some of the juvenile inmates pass out from malnutrition and agony was equally disturbing. According to ACF, these folks are victims of the thoughtless bureaucracy and criminal justice administration system in Nigeria.
The prosecution attorney’s and the Inspector-General of the Police’s extremely callous and unhelpful remarks to the media were equally upsetting and amounted to an attempt to explain the misdeed, which is a completely incorrect phrase to use. This further added to the ridiculousness of the sham trial. The fact that the accused were given N10 million bail each, along with other strict requirements, is a clear sign of a justice system gone awry.
It appears that the majority of the detainees are unable to obtain even N10,000 to post bail.
“ACF strongly condemns this charade of a trial and naked, strong-arm tactic, which is reminiscent of tactics used by authoritarian and intolerant but weak regimes aimed at muscling citizens,” the statement reads, joining other Nigerians and national and international human rights groups.
The arraignment of minors for allegedly trying to topple President Bola Tinubu’s government “clearly contravenes a plethora of national, regional, and international laws,” according to the Namibia Human Rights Commission (NHRC), through its Executive Secretary, Mr. Tony Ojukwu, SAN.
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