The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has condemned the detention, arraignment, and alleged inhumane treatment of minors arrested in August for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests and called on President Bola Tinubu to order their immediate release.
CACOL also urged that charges against the minors be withdrawn to prevent turning them into hardened criminals through exposure to negative influences in detention.
On Friday, police arraigned 76 suspects before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Abuja division of the Federal High Court for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Among these, 32 were minors between the ages of 14 and 17. The suspects were charged with 10 counts, including terrorism, an attempt to overthrow the government, and alleged mutiny related to their participation in the protests.
Sixty-seven of the defendants were granted bail at N10 million each.
In a statement released Saturday by the Director of Administration and Programmes, Tola Oresanwo, on behalf of the organisation’s Chairman, Mr Debo Adeniran, CACOL condemned the government’s failure to address the root causes of the protests, as Nigerians continue to face sharp increases in fuel prices, food, and other essentials.
“It is a known fact that the End Bad Governance protests have emerged as a powerful cry for change, highlighting deep-rooted issues of corruption, inequality, and systemic neglect in our society. Amid the fervour and fervent calls for accountability, a disturbing reality has come to light: a significant number of minors detained during these protests are suffering from severe malnutrition and deprivation. This grim intersection of political turmoil and child welfare underscores a profound failure of governance, where the most vulnerable—our children—bear the brunt of societal dysfunction,” CACOL stated.
CACOL expressed strong dissatisfaction with the treatment of the minors, who it argued are victims of circumstance, only seeking to exercise their right to protest and demand accountability.
The organisation argued that juvenile suspects should be held in remand homes with minimum detention standards and demanded an investigation and punishment for those who detained minors alongside adults.
After their release, CACOL recommended that the minors undergo psychological debriefing to help them recover from the trauma of their detention.
It also called for compensation for the inhumane treatment they suffered at the hands of state agencies.
“As the nation grapples with demands for justice and reform, the plight of these malnourished minors serves as a haunting reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive policies that would lead to total overhaul of the nation’s justice system and prioritize the health and well-being of all citizens,” the statement added.
Hunger Protests: CACOL Slams Minors’ Arraignment, Asks Tinubu To Order Release is first published on The Whistler Newspaper