THE governors of Bauchi and Kano States, along with the Arewa Consultative Forum, have called for the release of minors currently facing treason charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano has already directed the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice to take action to secure the release of these minors, who were reportedly arrested for advocating regime change during the #EndBadGovernance protests held in Kano and Kaduna from August 1 to August 10.
Baba Halilu Dantiye, Kano’s Commissioner of Information and Internal Affairs, confirmed this directive to newsmen yesterday.
On Friday, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, arraigned 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters—including minors—before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Abuja Federal High Court. The appearance of visibly malnourished children led to public outcry, with civil society groups demanding their immediate release.
The protesters were arraigned in two groups, with 32 minors among them. The first group faced a 10-count charge, including treason, intent to destabilize Nigeria, and inciting mutiny by urging the military to assume control from President Bola Tinubu. They pled not guilty and were each granted bail of N10 million.
Kano Governor Yusuf reiterated his call for the minors’ release on his X account, directing immediate action to bring them back to Kano.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, also deeply troubled by the minors’ treatment, stated in a Facebook post that the incident highlights the urgent need for Northern leaders to unite over regional issues, adding that the current economic hardship makes the N10 million bail unreasonable.
Senior lawyers expressed mixed reactions to the minors’ arraignment on treason charges. Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) criticized the prolonged detention of minors, emphasizing that children should not be treated as adults.
Similarly, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) argued that the government has not justified the criminal charges and called for the Federal Government to withdraw them. Kashopefoluwa Balogun added that minors should be handled within juvenile justice provisions, away from adult legal proceedings.
However, the Inspector-General’s lead counsel, Simon Lough (SAN), defended the legal stance, noting that children from age 8 to 12 can be charged if they demonstrate an understanding of the crime.
He asserted that the children’s malnourished condition predated their arrest and described their court appearance as orchestrated by defense lawyers to gain sympathy.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) condemned the police’s handling of the minors, stressing the need to adhere to child rights protections under Nigerian and international law.
The Arewa Consultative Forum also criticized the treason trial as an attempt to stifle constitutional rights to protest and urged the Federal Government to release the protesters.
Parents of the detained minors are reportedly planning to converge in Abuja to demand their children’s release. Civil society organizations and activists continue to press for the release of the minors, criticizing the judicial process as harsh and inhumane.
