The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday struck out treason charges against 119 individuals, including minors, detained for participating in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests in August, marking a significant gesture by the Federal Government.
The release of the minors involved in the case was granted on compassionate grounds, a move Vice President Kashim Shettima highlighted as part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to national unity and humanitarian concerns.
Vice President Shettima, who welcomed the released minors at the Presidential Villa, underscored the President’s compassionate stance, despite “incontrovertible digital video and photographic evidence” documenting some protesters’ actions.
“President Bola Tinubu instructed the release of the suspects on humanitarian grounds,” Shettima said, adding that the President, as a “father of the nation,” was giving these young Nigerians “another chance at becoming responsible citizens who will make a positive impact.”
Shettima called on the minors to seize this opportunity to rebuild their lives and urged leaders across Nigeria to support these individuals in their reintegration.
“I will urge our governors and our elected representatives, what binds us together as citizens of Nigeria supersedes whatever divides us. These young men should be rehabilitated and reintegrated into the fabric of our communities,” he stated.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, who represented the minors, commended the court’s decision but voiced concern about the future of the children.
He called for their educational needs to be addressed, reminding the government of its obligation under the Child Rights Act to provide free education.
“It’s not enough to terminate this trial,” Falana insisted, emphasizing that the minors must be “rehabilitated” and given access to education.
He warned that failure to fulfill this responsibility would prompt legal action, “If the government fails, we are going to court to sue because it is the responsibility of the government… to ensure these children are given education free up to senior secondary school.”
The court proceedings followed public outcry over the minors’ detention under harsh conditions, with various groups condemning their confinement alongside hardened criminals.
When the cases were called up, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, officially took over and moved to withdraw the charges, citing provisions in the 1999 Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The Vice President received the minors and other freed protesters, handing them over to their respective state governors, including Kaduna’s Uba Sani and Kano’s Abba Yusuf. Senior officials from the federal government were also present, as were key representatives from the legislature.
The release of the 119 protesters, which included 32 minors initially cited in court documents, was a relief to their families and supporters who had advocated for their freedom.
It is anticipated that this compassionate gesture will set a precedent for a more humane approach to addressing the grievances of Nigerian youth while ensuring their voices can be heard without fear of prolonged detention.
