The arraignment of 76 individuals, including 32 juveniles, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court’s Abuja division for their involvement in the August #EndBadGovernance protests has angered Nigerians.
Rights campaigners and civil society organizations attacked the government and police for the issue.
The defendants were arrested in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), as well as in the states of Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano. They had been in custody for three months.
The Inspector General of Police charged them with ten counts, including treason, inciting mutiny, and intending to destabilize Nigeria by urging the military to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
During the August 1–10 nationwide protest against economic hardship and bad administration, protesters demanded more budgetary restraint, food security, the restoration of the gasoline subsidy, and lower governance costs.
In many states, the demonstration descended into violence, resulting in instances of looting and damage.
Thirty-two of the 76 defendants arraigned on Friday were adolescents, aged 14 to 17.
However, because he wanted all of the defendants in the courtroom, the judge asked that room be made for them all.
The prosecution then asked the court to strike out the names of the ill defendants and release them until they recovered so they could be brought back to the court to answer to their accusations.
However, Marshall Abubakar, the defense attorney, requested that the court acquit and discharge them.
“The application is based on the defendants’ malnourishment and illness,” he stated. These boys haven’t eaten in three days, and they’re famished.
However, the prosecution disagreed with the defense attorney’s argument, arguing that the defendants, who had been held since their arrest in August, were adequately cared for in the police cell.
However, he requested that the defendant be given bail by the court.
On the prosecution’s request, the court released the four ill defendants—Umar Yunusa, Usman Suraju, Musa Isiyaku, and Abdul Ganiu—pending their recovery.
However, the court declined to exonerate them.
According to Justice Egwuatu, defendants who are 18 years of age or older should be placed in the Kuje Custodial Center until they fulfill their bail conditions, while minors (18 years of age or below) should be remanded in the Borstal Center in Gwagwalada.
Nigerians denounced the prisoners’ arraignment and excessive imprisonment, calling it a breach of their human rights and a reflection of the government’s handling of civil unrest.
The charges brought against them read in part, “That between July 31, 2024, and August 4, 2024, at the Abuja FCT and Kano Metropolis, within the jurisdiction of this court, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilise Nigeria, conspired together to commit felony to wit: treason.”
Count two, “That within the jurisdiction of this court, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilise Nigeria conspired together to commit felony to wit: inciting to mutiny, thereby committing an offence.
Count three, “That between July 31, 2024 and August 10, 2024, in Abuja FCT, Kaduna, Kano and Gombe, within the jurisdiction of this court, while acting in concert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British citizen, with intent to destabilise Nigeria, levies war against the state in order to intimidate or overawe the president, by attacking and injuring police officers and burning police stations, High Court Complex, NCC Complex, Kano Printing Press, Government House Kano, Kaduna Investment and Promotions Agency office, NURTW office and several other buildings and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 410 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 2004”.
The FG also accused them of having the plan to destabilise Nigeria by calling on the military to take over government from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and by chanting, ‘Tinubu most go,’ ‘It is military we want’, while rioting and disturbing public peace.
Justice Egwuatu, however, granted the protesters bail in the total sum of N760m with two sureties in like sum.
The judge further held that one of the sureties must be a level 15 civil servant and the other a parent to the defendants.
He also ordered that the sureties make available to the court a means of identification, letter of last promotion, letter of appointment, means of Identification and a verified address.
Justice Egwuatu said, “The defendants are granted bail in the sum of N10m each with two sureties in like sum.
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