Several civil society organizations, including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, have publicly condemned the ongoing detention of 76 protesters who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests earlier this year.
According to The PUNCH, these demonstrators were brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja following arrests by Nigerian police during nationwide protests in August 2024.
Held between August 1 and August 10, these protests drew thousands, all united in their demands for relief from the economic hardship and severe hunger many Nigerians attribute to the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The case is particularly distressing due to the inclusion of minors among the detained, many of whom appeared malnourished and physically weakened after months in detention.
In a dramatic scene in the courtroom, one young detainee, visibly frail, collapsed and was only revived with biscuits and water provided on the spot. SERAP reacted to the situation via its official X (handle, calling for immediate intervention by the president to free the protesters and drop the treasonable felony charges they face.
They stated, “The Tinubu administration must unconditionally release the 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters and drop all charges of ‘treasonable felony’ against them, or face legal action. No one should ever be punished for the peaceful exercise of their human rights.”
Amnesty International has also spoken out, condemning the government’s actions and specifically criticizing the charges leveled against minors.
“Amnesty International condemns President Bola Tinubu’s government for the continued detention of minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernance protests.The attempts to subject these minors to a sham trial over alleged ‘treason’ demonstrate the government’s utter disregard for the rule of law. Authorities must release them immediately and unconditionally,” the organization said, underscoring the urgent need for the release of all detained minors.
According to Amnesty International, similar incidents of unlawful detentions occurred across Nigeria, with 12 minors in Katsina allegedly held simply for being present on the streets during protests.
The organization also pointed to 43 individuals now facing treason charges in Abuja. “In Katsina, at least 12 children under 16 years old were detained merely for being on the streets during the #EndBadGovernance protests. These children, with their entire lives ahead of them, are now at risk of being tried on fabricated charges,” the group stated.
The rights group further highlighted the traumatic effects these detentions could have on young lives, and emphasized that peaceful protest must not be met with such extreme measures.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, further condemned the situation as a severe violation of children’s rights in Nigeria.
“This show of shame has also exposed Nigeria as a nation that goes to the United Nations to declare that it has abolished torture, but the minors who were brought to court have created the opposite impression about Nigeria’s commitment to abolish torture in all its forms. Today is definitely a very sad day for Nigeria,” Onwubiko said.
He suggested that the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, which had reportedly visited Nigeria in September, may need to revisit and reassess the conditions of Nigerian detention facilities, with a focus on instances of torture and abuse.
Onwubiko also urged President Tinubu to ensure the immediate release of all detained minors and requested that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs step in to assist these youths with education or vocational training, equipping them with skills for a stable future.
“We are saying let bygones be bygones, and the President should immediately release these children and order the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to enrol them in schools or vocational training institutions to be trained in various self-sustaining opportunities and skills, and supported to live normal lives and contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigeria,” he stated, emphasizing the need for government action to ensure a safe and supportive reintegration for these young Nigerians.
This wave of criticism underscores a growing outcry over the government’s response to peaceful demonstrations, with rights organizations and civil advocates pressing for accountability and fair treatment, especially for minors who appear caught up in the state’s intensified crackdown on dissent.
