Kehinde Fajobi
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the release of more than 100 individuals, including minors, who had been detained in connection with August’s #EndBadGovernance protests.
The release was announced by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday, as he welcomed the discharged individuals, who were earlier freed by a court decision.
According to Shettima, Tinubu’s decision to release the protesters came “on humanitarian grounds” despite what the government described as “clear digital video and photographic evidence of their actions,” which included footage shared by the protesters themselves.
The vice president said the president’s gesture was intended to offer these youths “another chance at becoming responsible citizens who will make a positive impact, in a drive for a better Nigeria.”
The president’s move follows considerable pressure from rights advocates, both locally and internationally, over the prolonged detention of the protesters, particularly the minors.
Human rights groups had decried the conditions of their detention, noting that some minors had been held in adult facilities for over three months, contrary to Nigerian law which mandates separate facilities for children.
Just last week, three minors reportedly collapsed in court, intensifying calls for their release.
Following this outcry, the attorney general dropped the charges, allowing all detainees to walk free.
The arrest and treatment of these individuals have drawn extensive criticism.
Despite stipulations in the Child Rights Act, which mandates that minors be tried in juvenile courts, authorities initially pursued their cases in regular courts.
Social media users and public commentators openly condemned the stringent bail conditions imposed and the overall handling of the case.
Various civil society groups also threatened to take legal action if the government continued prosecuting the minors.
Background on #EndBadGovernance Protests
The #EndBadGovernance protests occurred across several Nigerian cities from August 1 to August 10, sparked by rising frustration over economic policies introduced by the Tinubu administration, including the removal of petrol subsidies and the floating of the naira.
Protesters argued these policies had worsened the economic situation and demanded reforms.
In response to the protests, police launched an extensive crackdown, arresting 76 people, including minors, and seeking court orders to keep them in detention.
By September, authorities had charged some of the protesters, alleging a conspiracy with British socialist Andrew Wynee to destabilise the government.
Despite the government’s insistence on evidence of unlawful activity, Tinubu’s directive to release the protesters on humanitarian grounds has been seen by some as an attempt to address the growing public discontent and criticism of the administration’s approach to dissent.