Yesterday, a wave of national outrage followed the federal government’s decision to bring minors before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged participation in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests. Prominent voices condemning the government’s handling of the minors included civil society organizations (CSOs), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former attorney-general Prof. Isa Pantami,leadership reports.
The minors were part of a group of 114 protesters who appeared in court, where each received a bail of N10 million. They were accused of vandalizing police stations, a high court complex, and the National Communications Commission (NCC) Complex during the protests. The total bail amount reached N1.14 billion, with each defendant required to provide two sureties in a matching amount.
Justice Egwuatu granted the bail based on arguments presented by the defendants’ lawyers and representatives of the inspector-general of police (IGP). During the arraignment, Nura Ibrahim (24) and 75 others, ages ranging from 14 to 30, faced allegations of conspiring with British national Andrew Martin Wynne to disrupt national order.
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They were charged with attacking police officers, and setting fire to police stations, a court complex, the NCC Complex, the Kaduna Investment and Promotions Agency, and the National Union of Road Workers’ (NURTW) office.
The prosecution also asked the court to discharge four defendants who became ill during the hearing, with plans to re-arraign them after recovery. Justice Egwuatu struck out their names after the charges were withdrawn. Following the defendants’ plea of not guilty, the judge granted bail with conditions, remanding adults to Kuje Correctional Service and minors to the Borstal Home.
In response, several Nigerian CSOs condemned the detention and treatment of the minors, citing malnutrition and reports of some fainting in court due to inadequate care. CSO leaders, including Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transparency International, Amnesty International, and Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), urged First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to intervene, asking her to view the minors as her own children. They appealed to President Bola Tinubu to release the detainees and halt government action against the minors.
Expressing concern, Atiku Abubakar described the detention and prosecution of children as inhumane. He criticized the conditions they faced, equating the scenes to a “Nazi concentration camp” and highlighting the Child Rights Act, which protects minors from physical and emotional harm. Similarly, Peter Obi voiced outrage over the government’s treatment of young protesters, emphasizing that peaceful protest is a constitutional right. He called for a thorough investigation to uphold Nigeria’s global image and protect citizens’ rights.
Pantami also appealed to the IGP to end the minors’ ordeal, urging an immediate investigation to hold responsible parties accountable.
In a related case, a 70-year-old British national, Andrew Martin Wynne (also known as Andrew Povic), faces similar charges related to the protests. Declared wanted last September, Wynne was accused of attempting to “overthrow President Bola Tinubu.”
