Nigerian President Bola Tinubu yesterday directed the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, to facilitate the immediate release of all minors facing prosecution in court over alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests without prejudice to the law.
The president’s directive came on a day 19 protesters, including three minors, were arraigned before Justice Aisha Mohammed Ali at State High Court 10, in Maiduguri, Borno State for their participation in the protest.
This is even as fresh protests rocked Abuja yesterday over continued hardship in the country.
76 persons, who were arrested in Kano and Kaduna States and detained for brandishing the Russian flag during the #EndBadGovernance protest, were charged to court for allegedly attempting to overthrow the President.
But last week, 29 minors among those arrested were arraigned in court and their arraignment has attracted condemnation both within and outside the country.
It will be recalled that sharp criticisms had since last weekend trailed arraignment of the minors by the police in Abuja, as Northern governors, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, the presidential candidates of the People Democratic Party, PDP, Abubakar Atiku, and Labour Party, Peter Obi, among others, called for immediate release of the minors.
Apparently responding to the calls yesterday, President Tinubu, aside from ordering immediate release of the minors, also directed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Nentawe Yilwatda, to see to the welfare of the minors and ensure their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians, wherever they were in the country.
Briefing State House correspondents, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, flanked by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, said the President has directed the AGF to immediately ensure release of the minors.
He also directed that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest, detention and prosecution of the minors be investigated and that anyone found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary action.
According to the charge sheets, the ages of the three minors ranged from 14 to 17 years old.
In his submission, Borno State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hauwa Abubakar, accused the defendants in two separate charge sheets bordering on treason and using social media to defame the state governor, Babagana Zulum, inciting citizens against the state.
The minors, according to the state prosecutors, are among the seven people who conspired to form a social media group in Hausa, Zanga-Zanga (protest) on WhatsApp and TikTok, where they allegedly agreed to take arms against the state, which is punishable under Section 79 of Borno State’s Penal Code, 2023.
The second charge sheet accused 11 defendants of displaying Russian flags in public and chanting “Bama yi,” which, according to the prosecutors, is contrary to Section 42 and punishable under Section 76(b) of the penal code law of the state.