UPDATED: Court Terminates Treason Charges Against #EndBadGovernance Protesters

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, struck out the treason charge brought against the minors, arraigned by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for participating in the August #EndBadGovernance protest.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the charge following its withdrawal by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN on behalf of the federal government.

charges against #EndBadGovernance protesters, International Human Rights Commission seeks FG's intervention over detained minors, The International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in Nigeria has expressed concern over a circulating video showing 124 protesters, including minors with visible signs of malnutrition and exhaustion, arraigned in court on Friday, 1 November 2024, for allegedly protesting against bad governance that affects their livelihood, a fundamental right protected by Nigeria's democratic constitution. The Commission made this known in a press statement issued on Saturday, 2 November, in Abuja by the Commission's Ambassador-at-Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah. Appealing to the Federal Government for a drastic intervention, the Ambassador-at-Large observed that the disheartening incident serves as a powerful reminder of the collective responsibility to protect human rights. He underscored the human rights concerns surrounding Nigerian minors in Kuje Prison and other correctional facilities, emphasizing that Nigerians must prioritize this issue, recognizing their shared obligation to protect human dignity within the global community. Furthermore, Dr. Hezekiah emphasized that the Organization strongly disapproves of juvenile delinquency in all its forms, including vandalism, theft, violence, and gang involvement. Nevertheless, it recognizes that individuals in correctional facilities retain their inherent dignity as human beings. While commending the presiding judge's intervention in halting the trial, he urged the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Law Enforcement Agencies, to thoroughly investigate and prevent such injustices, fostering a society where dignity and justice thrive. He implores the Nigerian Government to deepen its commitment to child rights, as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), Nigerian Child Rights Act (2003), and the National Youth Policy (2019), through the Nigerian Child Rights Committee and Prisoners' Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRWA), to fulfill its responsibilities.SERAP gives Tinubu 48 hours

The AGF, represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar had, at the proceedings on Tuesday, announced his exercise of Sections 174(1), (b), and (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 to take over the case from the IGP.

Upon the grant of the request by Justice Egwuatu, the AGF proceeded to request for invocation of the same section of the Constitution to discontinue the trial of the accused persons.

Following a no objection to the request from various lawyers representing the accused persons, Justice Egwuatu granted the request and struck out the charges against the #EndBadGovernance protesters.

Although, the accused persons were not in court, the Judge ordered their immediate release from the prison custody.

President Bola Tinubu had on Monday, directed the AGF to terminate the treason charges preferred against the accused persons, who are mostly minors and prohibited by law from facing such trial.

Recall that, Justice Egwuatu last Friday admitted the 114 arraigned protesters to a N10 billion bail each with two sureties in likes sum.

The protesters were arraigned on a 10-count charge, bordering on treasonable felony, rioting, destruction of public property, assaulting security officials and looting among others, to which they pleaded not guilty to.

Earlier before the proceedings commenced on Friday, there was a drama in the Courtroom as four of the minors looking very malnourished fainted as they approached the dock for arraignment with their lawyers rushing to provide aid.

The prosecuting counsel applied to the court for four suspects who earlier fainted to get first aide and be arraigned later.

Justice Egwuatu on seeing the situation stood down proceedings for a while to enable the protesters who were sick to be attended to.

Upon resumption, the court granted the prayers for four of the accused persons to be exempted from the arraignment to a later date.

The arraignment of the protesters on charges bordering on treason, attracted condemnation by some individuals and groups, which made President Tinubu to order their release from detention.

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