FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi have condemned the detention and prosecution of several minors allegedly involved in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
The minors today, were brought before Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where some fainted during the proceedings.
The group, consisting of 75 minors aged between 12 and 15, faced 10 charges, including terrorism, attempting to overthrow the government, and alleged mutiny for their participation in the nationwide protests.
Justice Egwuatu granted bail to 67 of the 76 minors who were arraigned, setting the bail amount at N10 million each.
These minors were reportedly arrested on August 3 and had been in detention until today.
In separate statements on their respective X accounts, both Atiku and Obi expressed their distress over the situation.
“The shocking scene, reminiscent of a Nazi concentration camp, reflects the current government’s disregard for the vulnerable, particularly children.
“Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act guarantees the dignity of the child, emphasizing that every child is entitled to respect and should not face physical, mental, or emotional harm, including abuse or torture,” Atiku stated, pointing out that it’s “reprehensible” for someone who claims to have fought for Nigeria’s democracy to now demonize those protesting against his harsh policies.
He added that “children, who are disproportionately affected by these policies, have every right to protest peacefully as protected by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act.” He concluded, “A nation’s worth is reflected in how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. It is disheartening that even underage children are not spared from the harshness of T Pain.”
Obi stated that the treatment of the children, despite being in federal custody, was inadequate.
He highlighted that the alleged offenses—that of protesting against poor governance affecting their lives—are protected by the Constitution.
“Interestingly, many of those in the current government championed this constitutional right while in opposition,” Obi noted.
He added, “Moreover, our system presumes that suspects, even minors, deserve dignity even when in correctional facilities. This situation raises global concerns for us as members of a community that values human dignity.”
Obi expressed gratitude to the presiding judge for halting the trial, which could have led to further embarrassment for Nigeria as a democratic nation.
The former Anambra governor urged the Minister of Justice, the Attorney General, the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the National Human Rights Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into this “inhumane treatment of minors” to prevent similar incidents in the future.
