Amnesty International has strongly criticized the Federal Government’s prosecution of 10 activists linked to a recent hunger protest, denouncing the charges as fabricated and baseless.
According to The PUNCH, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday,bruled that the activists, including a pregnant woman named Angel Innocent, be held in Kuje and Suleja correctional facilities until September 11, when their bail applications will be considered.
The other defendants include Michael Adaramoye, also known as Lenin; Adeyemi Abayomi; Suleiman Yakubu; Opaluwa Simon; Buhari Lawal; Mosiu Sadiq; Bashir Bello; Nuradeen Khakis; and Abdusalam Zubairu.
The judge’s order came after the police charged the activists with six counts, including treason and conspiracy to incite mutiny aimed at destabilizing the country. The charges, identified as FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, accuse them of waging war against the state with plans to intimidate President Bola Tinubu by attacking and injuring police officers, setting fire to police stations, a high court complex, the Nigerian Communications Commission complex, and several other buildings.
Despite the gravity of the charges, all ten activists pleaded not guilty. Their legal representatives argued for their release on bail, with Marshall Abubakar, counsel for the 1st and 3rd defendants, asserting that no written bail application is required under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. Abubakar described the treason charges as absurd, emphasizing that his clients were simply participating in a protest.
“The protesters were merely exercising their rights. My Lord will also recall that the defendants have been in custody long before the said (remand) order was granted. In fact, some for 30 days and some for 28 days.
“We are applying under the fundamental legal footing, both judicial and statutory from the authorities, that this honourable court admits the 1st and 3rd defendants to bail. We urge Your Lordship to admit the defendants to bail in the most liberal terms.”
Hamza Dantani, representing the 9th defendant, informed the court that his client was gravely ill and suffering from asthma.
He said, “On behalf of the 9th defendant, we equally align ourselves with the submission of the defendants.
“The 9th defendant is seriously battling with ill health. He was granted administrative bail before he was rearrested. He is an asthmatic patient, and in the interest of justice, we pray Your Lordship to admit him to bail as he has never had any criminal record in the past; he will not jump bail if granted,” Dantani said.
Deji Adeyanju, representing the 6th, 7th, and 8th defendants, urged Justice Nwite to exercise discretion and grant bail to his clients, emphasizing that they were merely participating in a protest.
“The case of the prosecution is specifically weak against my clients, My Lord. They said in their witness statements that they just participated in a protest, not treason. The proof of evidence before the court is issues of primary school and secondary school; how does that amount to treason? My Lord, we are asking the court to grant them bail in liberal terms. They are law-abiding citizens; none of the defendants is a criminal, none of them will jump bail,” he said.
The prosecution counsel, Simon Lough (SAN), however, opposed the oral bail submissions, while also insisting on the treason charges against the defendants.
“Bail can only be granted in exceptional circumstances; those exceptional circumstances as listed in the ACJA,” the SAN said.
After hearing from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the case until September 11 for a ruling and ordered that the defendants remain in custody until then.
Amnesty International Nigeria condemned the trial, calling it a sham. In a statement on Monday, Country Director Isa Sanusi criticized the charges, accusing the authorities of exploiting the justice system to silence dissenting voices.
“Some of the charges filed against the protesters, ranging from treason, which carries the death penalty, to allegations of a ‘plan to destabilise Nigeria,’ show how far Nigerian authorities can go in manipulating the criminal justice system to silence critical voices. These are blatantly trumped-up charges that must be immediately withdrawn.
“We condemn these sham trials even before they begin and call for an end to these endless, bizarre attempts to deprive people of the right to peaceful protest. What is going to happen to these protesters — who took to the streets last month seeking good governance — is a disguised exercise solely aimed at punishing dissenters.
“These attempts by President Bola Tinubu’s government to charge those who protested against widespread poverty and rampant corruption with treason is beyond absurd and baseless. The Nigerian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all those arrested from 1-10 August for exercising their right to peaceful assembly, instead of subjecting them to an unfair trial just to justify detaining them unlawfully,” the organisation said.
On Monday, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf inaugurated a 14-member judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the recent #EndBadGovernance protests that turned violent in the state.
“The commission was constituted in fulfillment of my promise to the protesters, who assembled at the Government House to express their grievances,” a statement on Monday quoted the governor as saying.
Acknowledging the right to peaceful protest, Governor Yusuf invited the protesters to present their demands for submission to the President.
“Unfortunately, the protest was hijacked by hoodlums who vandalized and destroyed property worth billions of naira, including the NCC digital building, courts, and files.
“In my capacity as the Executive Governor of Kano State, I’m assuring the commission of a free hand, as well as maximum support to carry out their duties diligently, just as I’ve advised them to seek guidance from relevant stakeholders, including Ulamas and prison authorities, to ensure a comprehensive investigation,” the governor said.
The governor stated that the commission’s findings would guide the state government in taking appropriate actions and preventing future incidents of such violence.
