November 5, 2024
By Idris Buba
The Federal Government, on Tuesday withdrawn the treason charge it entered against minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernance protests.
Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, officially took over the case file and notified the Federal High Court in Abuja of his decision to discontinue the case against the protesters.
Application for discontinuance, which was moved by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, DPPF, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, was anchored on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
The DPPF also applied for the proceeding to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.
Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala, SAN, as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, said they were not opposed to the applications.
Consequently, trial Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the charge.
It will be recalled that teenagers, between the ages of 14 and 17, who appeared ill and malnourished, collapsed after they were marshalled in for arraignment, they were among 76 persons the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, charged to court for participating in the protest
However, following a public outcry that trailed the arraignment of the minors, the AGF, ordered police to transfer the case file to his office for a review.
Barely 24 hours after the AGF gave the directive, President Bola Tinubu ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charge and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.
READ MORE; Outrage over police arraignment of 32 minors for treason.
Meanwhile, the released 114 #EndBadGovernance protesters minors and adults, inclusive, who were earlier arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force and discharged by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja were later taking to the Presidential Villa.
They are to be received by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
Then they would be handed over to their respective state governors – Uba Sani of Kaduna, and Abba Yusuf of Kano.
