…Release All Minors Held For Protesting Now – SERAP, Amnesty International React
Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have knocked President Bola Tinubu’s government over the arraignment of minors who participated in the recent EndBadGovernance protest.
Peter Obi called on 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 the inhuman treatment of minors to avert such occurrences in the future.
Recall that 76 persons were arraigned on Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja for participating in the recent EndBadGovernance protest.
One of the minors arraigned collapsed before the commencement of the trial.
However, in a post on his X handle on Friday, Obi said most of the people in government today leveraged the Constitution, standing as champions of good governance while in opposition.
”He said: ‘I just watched the disturbing and condemnable scenes captured in a circulating video, showing 124 protesters—among them minors—appearing in court today as part of efforts to secure the enforcement of their fundamental rights.
”The footage reveals minors, some so weak that they could barely stand, others fainting from sheer exhaustion and lack of nourishment. These children appeared visibly malnourished and starved—a condition that should alarm the conscience of every citizen in our nation. From their look, they were poorly handled despite being in the custody of the federal government of Nigeria. The offence being alleged against these suspects, including minors, is protesting against bad governance that was directly affecting their livelihood and which our constitution under a democratic dispensation guarantees them.
”Curiously, most of the people in government today leveraged this aspect of the Constitution standing as champions of good governance while in opposition. Moreover, our status presumes that suspects deserve some dignity, even in a correctional home as human beings. The reason why we should all be concerned about a situation like this is because we are part of a global community where human dignity should be respected.
”May I appreciate the presiding lordship for halting the trial and saving the country further embarrassment it would have been to the World as a democratic nation? 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.”
In the same vein, Atiku on Friday reacted to the disturbing viral videos of malnourished children being arraigned before a Federal High Court on Friday.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by his media team in Abuja and a corresponding post on his official X account.
Reacting, Atiku lamented that the pitiable sight of the children in the courtroom ”was reminiscent of the infamous Nazi concentration camp.”
The Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election 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 inhuman punishment.
He said, “If they are just being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the sort of dehumanising conditions they had been subjected to and have been detained all this while.
“I find it reprehensible that a man who claims to have fought for Nigeria’s democracy and had led protests now demonises those who decide to demonstrate against the effects of his harsh and draconian policies.
“Children who are the most affected by these policies have every right to protest peacefully as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act.
“A nation can be assessed by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens. It is saddening that even underage children are not spared from the wickedness of T-Pain.
“The disturbing condition under which the alleged accused children were brought to court projects the very justification for their participation in the protest in the first place.”
More so,former Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Obiageli ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili, has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to immediately stop the “wicked prosecution” of minors and send them back to their parents and guardians.
Ezekwesili, an Economic and Public Policy Expert and Senior Economic Adviser to the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative, also demanded that adequate compensations should be paid to the minors who have been detained for months for the roles in the August #EndBadGovernance protests.
The former presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) warned President Tinubu that no ruler has ever won against their people.
Ezekwesili, who was reacting to the arraignment of minors detained for about three months for merely exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights to protests, described Nigerian leaders as wicked.
“When those children came out to protest, asking you to #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, they were telling you the ‘Truth and nothing but the Truth,’” she said, adding that no one can ever solve a problem they deny exists.
The former Vice President of World Bank’s Africa Region, who took to her X handle, wrote a message addressed to President Tinubu.
She said, “Here is the sordid evidence of the @NigeriaGov punishing your citizens for daring to tell you the truth of #BadGovernance by your administration.
“No one can ever solve a Problem they deny and refuse to own. No one.
“Agitation to #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria is shared by overwhelming majority of your citizens. For real.”
She questioned the government’s legal action against the defendants, asking how many Nigerians it can take to court.
She said, “How many of your Citizens can you detain and deprive of their freedoms like done to these minors? Hear me.
“No ruler has ever won against their people forever. Check history. Note that I wrote ruler and not leader.
“The repressive class of politicians in Nigeria are not leaders. You all have serially failed the “test of leadership” because you act as wicked rulers who feel entitled to the “publicly-funded luxurious life” while repressing and pauperizing the citizens.
“Second, @officialABAT, the evident corrupted capture of our Judiciary by the @NigeriaGov is playing out daily on Candid Camera before the eyes of the world.
“The trial of these minors is one of many examples these days.
“Stop the wicked prosecution of these minors immediately and send the children back to their parents and guardians.
“Next, ensure that they are compensated for the physical, mental, emotional and overall psychological damage you have done to them by abusing the powers of the Nigerian State and grossly violating their constitutional rights.”
“I hope you start listening to what majority of your Citizens especially these children are telling you daily: “Ebi npawa”, “we are hungry”.
“Nothing lasts forever. Today is not Forever,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and Amnesty International Nigeria have asked President Bola Tinubu to release all the 75 people arraigned over their involvement in the August #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.
This is as the two bodies condemned the ongoing detention of minors involved in the protests.
Reacting, SERAP took to its official X handle to denounce the detention, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release the protesters and drop all charges of ‘treasonable felony’ against them.
“The Tinubu administration must unconditionally release the 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters and drop all charges of ‘treasonable felony’ against them, or face legal action. No one should ever be punished for the peaceful exercise of their human rights,” the group tweeted.
It also faulted the government’s actions as an attempt to instil fear, evade scrutiny, deny citizens their fundamental rights, and entrench a culture of impunity in Nigeria.
Corroborating, Amnesty International also denounced the arrest and detention of the minors.
It urged the Nigerian government to release all detained individuals, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional and internationally guaranteed human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
“Amnesty International condemns President Bola Tinubu’s government for the continued detention of minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests. The attempts to subject these minors to a sham trial over alleged ‘treason’ demonstrate the government’s utter disregard for the rule of law. Authorities must release them immediately and unconditionally,” they stated.
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