The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has condemned the arrest and trial of several minors from the northern region of the country before a High Court in Abuja on allegations of treason and other offences related to their participation in the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests.
It characterised the action as a disgraceful display and a clear example of excessive official overreach at its worst.
The Forum stated that the trial of the minors for their alleged involvement in the protests is a strong-arm tactic reminiscent of strategies employed by authoritarian and intolerant yet weak regimes aimed at suppressing citizens.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF expressed disappointment at the apparent abandonment of judicial process by the trial judge, as well as the unreasonable bail conditions imposed on the detainees.
“It was not just the impossible monetary condition but to ask the detainees to provide sureties who must be senior government officials is beyond belief, these being citizens from the lower rungs of society who may never have been to Abuja! Shorn of all niceties or political correctness, the trial simply assaults common sense and it is, in this regard as scandalous and reckless as can be,” the group said.
It also noted that the situation reflects poorly on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, both domestically and internationally, as evidenced by reports on the matter from major international news outlets.
The Forum called on the Nigerian Government to immediately cease the detention and trial of the arrested citizens, release the “suspects,” and return them to their families unharmed.
Additionally, it urged the Government to investigate the circumstances that led to the detention of the so-called suspects for over three months, far exceeding the constitutional limit of 24 hours; extend financial compensation to the detainees for their unnecessary and unjustified confinement; and arrange for medical examinations, treatment, and professional psychological evaluation and counselling for the detainees.
Furthermore, the ACF urged the Nigerian Government to reassess its strategies for handling protests, ensuring adherence to constitutional due processes, principles of good governance, and international best practices.
The group said the trial represents “the naked demonstration of untamed power” which is conceived to intimidate and subdue citizens who may contemplate exercising their inalienable rights to protest and or express grievances through constitutionally guaranteed means.
