Kehinde Fajobi
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has disclosed that the Federal Government avoided bringing minors detained during the August #EndBadGovernance protests into the courtroom in Abuja, saying it was “too embarrassed” to do so.
Falana made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja at a public event for the book Judicial Terrorism – A Macabre Trial and Death Sentences on Some Atvap (Kataf) People by Richard Akinnola, held in honour of retired Maj.-Gen. Zamani Lekwot.
The lawyer explained, “Just this morning before this programme commenced, I was in the courts in Abuja, here, where 119 Nigerians, including 29 minors, were brought to court. But the government was so ashamed that we couldn’t take them to the courtroom unlike last week.”
Falana’s comments come after widespread public backlash over the arrests and detention of minors involved in the August protests.
Responding to public outcry, President Bola Tinubu ordered the release of the minors, which led to the discontinuance of charges.
Earlier on Tuesday, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja struck out treason charges against the minors.
The decision followed an application by counsel for the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Abubakar, who moved to withdraw the charges. Counsel for the defendants, including Falana, did not oppose the application.
Justice Egwuatu subsequently dismissed the charges against the minors.