Following the outrage that trailed the arrest and arraignment of minors over the #EndBadGovernance protests held in several parts of the country in August, President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate release of all the detainees.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Monday after the President swore in seven newly appointed ministers cleared by the Senate.
The minister said the President ordered the immediate release of the minors without prejudice to whatever legal processes that are ongoing.
The President also directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to immediately see to the welfare of those minors, and also take part to ensure their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians wherever they are in the country.
Tinubu also directed that a committee would be set up to be spearheaded by the humanitarian affairs ministry to look at all issues surrounding the arrest, detention, treatment, and finally, the release of the minors.
On Friday, November 1, 2024, Nigerians were enraged and disgusted when the police brought 72 minors before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their participation in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.
The defendants, who were accused of treason, among others, were arrested in places like Kaduna, Abuja, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano states. Some of them looked gaunt and poorly fed and collapsed in court.
The presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu, granted N10 million bail to 72 minors who were arraigned.
Many Nigerians including former presidential candidates, civil society organisations, human rights activists and regional socio-political groups were incensed when they found out that the minors had been detained for over eight weeks since the nationwide protests against hunger and high cost of living.
In the heat of the nationwide condemnation of the government’s action, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, hurriedly released a statement that his “office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me to take an informed decision”.
Fagbemi immediately directed the police to transfer the case file to his office and hand over the same to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF).