The Nigerian government has dropped the treason charges against the minors involved in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests held nationwide, and they have subsequently been freed.
The government, represented by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, officially assumed control of the case file on Tuesday. He then informed the Federal High Court in Abuja of his decision to halt the case against the protesters.
The Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr Mohammed Abubakar, presented the motion to discontinue the case based on sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the amended 1999 Constitution and section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015.
The DPPF also requested that the proceedings be held without the minors’ presence in the courtroom, adhering to section 266(b) of the ACJA 2015, and section 1 of the Child’s Rights Act.
Human rights attorney Mr Femi Fanala, SAN, and other defence attorneys stated they did not oppose the applications. As a result, trial Justice Obiora Egwuatu dismissed the charge.
Four minors, out of the 76 individuals charged by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for taking part in the protest, fainted before their arraignment in court last Friday. The teenagers, aged between 14 and 17, appeared to be ill and malnourished, collapsing as they were brought in for their court appearance.
However, following the widespread public outcry regarding the arraignment of the minors, the Attorney-General of the Federation instructed the police to forward the case file to his office for examination.
Less than 24 hours after the Attorney-General’s directive, President Bola Tinubu mandated the immediate withdrawal of the charges and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the minors’ arrest and detention.