The Federal Government will on November 1, 2024 arraign 76 persons arrested during the August #EndBadGovernance protests across the country.
The protesters who have been in police detention for over two months were accused of plotting to destabilise the country by participating in the nationwide protest.
According to a charge sheet seen by NewsNGR, the 76 persons include 32 Minors between the ages of 14 and 17.
They will be arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.
The protesters who were arrested in Abuja, Kano and Kaduna are facing ten-count charges of treason, treasonable felonies, destruction of public properties, and disturbance of public peace, among others.
In the suit marked; FHC/ABJ/CS/503/2024 filed on Sept. 25, through their lawyer, Simon Lough, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the Police said the protesters “acting in concert and with intent to destabilize Nigeria conspired together to commit Felony to wit: Treason and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of the Penal Code.”
The Federal Government accused them of conspiring with wanted British citizen, Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) to incite the public against the government and disturb public peace with their chants and riots.
The police said while “acting in concert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British Citizen, with intent to destabilise Nigeria, (the protesters) levied war against the state to intimidate or overawe the president by attacking and injuring police officers and burning police stations, High Court Complex, NCC Complex. Kano Printing Press, Government House Kano, Kaduna Investment and Promotions Agency office, NURTW office and several other buildings and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 410 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 2004
On another count, the defendants were accused of “acting in concert carrying Russian Flags chanting violent revolutionary songs agitating for Russian Invasion of Nigerian Sovereign entity to topple the democratic government of Nigeria wilfully and maliciously set fire on Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC) Digital Industrial Park Generator House which substantially burnt JMG Generator and you went further to set Fire on over 23 Government vehicles at Audu Bako Secretariat Complex Kano State, Properties of Federal and State Government respectively and you thereby committed an offence Punishable under Section 1 (4) (a) and (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
The defendants are Nura Ibrahim, Abdulbasi Abdulsalm, Ahmed Yusuf, Awolu Abdullahi, Umar Musa, Muhammadu Mustapha, Umar Muhammed, Umar Inusa, Abdullahi Sani, Abba Usman, Ibrahim Rabiu, Abubakar Sani, Abubakar Abdullahi, Amir Muhammed, Umar Ali, Saminu Aliyu Sani, Muhammed Musa, Suleiman Dauda, Ismail Yunus Abdullahi, Haruna Suleiman, Bello Abdullahi, Usman Yunusa, Umar Ahmed Umar, Sani Aliyu and Yusuf Haruna Lawal.
Others are; Abba Adamu, Abbas Hamza, Tasiu Lawal, Jamilu Haruna, Usman Mohammed, Aminu Usaini, Aminu Mohammed, Abdullahi Suleiman, Bilal Auwalu, Umar Mohammed Kabir, Abubakar Ibrahim, Usman Yusuf, Abubakar Adam, Suleiman Ali and Mubarak Mas’ud Hamza. Ibrahim Aliyu Musa, Samani Ali, Yahaya Sani, Umar Mohammed Sani, Abbas Haliru, Sani Hassan Idris, Tashiru Mohammed, Abdullaziz Adam Abubakar, Usman Sirajo and Musa Adam.
The rest are; Mukhtari Yahaya, Abba Ahmad, Umar Ahmed Mohammed, Yahaya Musa, Umar Abdullahi, Salisu Adamu, Habibu Sani, Sadiq Sanusi, Ibrahim Sani, Mustapha Kabir, Saifullahi Mohammed, Hassan Mohammed, Mustapha Abubakar, Sanusi Nura, Abdulmalik Auwal, Musa Ishaku, Abdurahman Ibrahim, Usman Fatihu, Abdulganiu Musa, Sagir Hassan, Saidu Usman, Abubakar Muhammed, Kabiru Sani, Muhammed Yahaya, Mukhtar Ishak Alhassan, Mustapha and Ibrahim.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja had earlier granted 10 hunger protesters 5m bail after being arraigned in connection with the hunger protests in Kano and Abuja.
Nwite fixed November 11 for the commencement of the trial.