By Adewole Kehinde.
On 2nd November 2024, some Nigerians expressed outrage over the arraignment of 76 suspects, including 32 minors, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests in August.
Civil society groups and rights activists slammed the police and the government over the matter.
They were arraigned on 10 counts bordering on treason, intent to destabilise Nigeria, and inciting mutiny by calling on the military to take over the government from President Bola Tinubu, among others.
The protest turned violent in some states, leading to incidents of looting and vandalism.
The most controversial part was that of the 32 minors between the ages of 14 and 17.
The Nigeria police were blackmailed by some people who videotaped the so-called “minors” in the court.
I saw what looked more like a stage-managed video where minors, who looked unkempt and malnourished, were seen scrambling for water and biscuits in video clips that went viral on social media.
The minors wriggled in pain and made a screeching sound on the floor as both lawyers and prison officials hurriedly carried them up, holding their hands and legs. They were then taken out of the courtroom, as they couldn’t stand.
When Justice Egwuatu called for the case, the prosecutor insisted that the defendants, who had been detained since August when they were arrested, were well-catered for in the police cell where they had been kept.
Many attacked the prosecutor for telling the real truth.
To make matters worse, the Nigerian Bar Association said subjecting minors to such treatment not only violates domestic and international legal protections but also paints Nigeria in a negative light on a global stage.
The National President of the NBA, Afam Osigwe, who stated this in an interview with Saturday Punch, said the inhumane treatment of the minors constituted a grave violation of their fundamental human rights.
Some politicians were not left out of the accusation. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said the detention and prosecution of the minors had exposed the inhuman nature of the Tinubu administration.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his media team in Abuja, lamented that the pitiable sight of the children in the courtroom was reminiscent of the infamous Nazi concentration camp.
He also noted that it was an “utter violation” of Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act, which guarantees that no child should be subjected to physical, mental, or emotional injury as well as torture and inhumane punishment.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, also expressed dismay over the treatment of the minors.
“I would like to call on relevant authorities, especially the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, the Police, and the DSS, as well as the National Human Rights Commission, to thoroughly investigate such inhuman treatment of minors to avert such incidents in the future,” Obi said.
Also reacting, the President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Debo Adeniran, said it was unexplainable that a supposed progressive government could maltreat children in the way it had done.
Adeniran stated that it was cruel to arrest and detain the minors for days without trial, adding that the ill-treatment meted out to the children was condemnable.
Amnesty International also condemned the continuous detention of the minors who were arrested in August for allegedly participating in the #EndBadGovernance protest in August.
Amnesty, in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), described the trial of the minors for treason as a “sham” and demanded the unconditional release of the defendants.
“The attempts to put the minors through a sham trial over alleged treason show the government’s utter disregard for the rule of law. The authorities must release them immediately and unconditionally,” the statement read.
On November 4, 2024, President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate release of the 29 minors detained during anti-government protests in August.
According to the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, he said that Tinubu ordered the immediate release of all minors prosecuted in connection with the anti-government protests.
He said Tinubu also called for a probe of the security operatives involved in their arrest and ordered the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to help rehabilitate the minors.
Before the minors were ordered to be released, Nigeria police spokesperson ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the protesters were criminally liable even if they were underage.
“Once you’re more than 7 [years old], you can be charged in court,” said Muyiwa Adejobi of the national police. “The only thing is that you need to follow certain procedures to do that. The youngest should be 13. So, we have charged them in court on behalf of the federal government of Nigeria, because these are those who actually leveraged the protests; they hijacked the protests, and they’re so violent.”
On November 6, 2024, Vice President Kashim Shettima handed over the minors to Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, respectively.
“Regarding the evidence against them, the President, as the father of the nation, has decided to give these young men another chance at becoming responsible citizens who will make a positive impact in a drive for a better Nigeria,” he said.
He said the released minors have much to contribute to future nation-building.
“I would like to admonish you, young men, to not allow yourselves to be used to perpetrate violence and destroy public and private property. Over N300 billion was lost in the protests, consisting mainly of private property and loss of business.
It was so unfortunate that the so-called minors seen in court on the 2nd of November 2024 had become adults on the 6th of November 2024 when Vice President Kashim Shettima handed them over to Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, respectively.
The minors are now NCE holders waiting to be employed by the Kano State Government!
This was exposed when Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State charged 76 reformed minors, who participated in property looting during the #EndBadGovernance protest, to be good ambassadors and respect the rule of law.
The governor, represented by Chief of Staff Alhaji Wasa Sagagi, handed over 71 minors to their parents at the Muhammad Buhari Specialist Hospital in Kano.
The Kano State Government even vowed to sponsor the education of all reformed minors.
“Those who have completed their NCE education will be offered employment during the
“The government has allocated 30% of the 2025 proposed budget to the education sector, demonstrating its commitment to uplifting the standard of living of the general populace, Alhaji Wasa Sagagi said.
Those who have accused the Nigeria Police of maltreating the “minors” should come out openly to apologise to the Nigeria Police.
Adewole writes from Asaba and can be reached via 08166240846, kennyadewole@gmail.com, or @kennyadewole.
