The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) in a statement signed by the National Coordinator Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi on Saturday, has condemned the detention of minors for participating in protests against hunger and bad governance, demanding their immediate release.
He said numerous children under 18 had been held in custody for over 90 days before their arraignment in an Abuja High Court, where four collapsed from hunger and lack of medical care.
The group criticised the government’s handling of the minors, describing it as “a desperate entity that is determined to de-market and embarrass Nigeria before the international community.”
The group also point to the fact that the continued detention of these underage children under “starvation and harsh conditions is a gross violation of their basic rights, including the right to freedom of expression and assembly.”
The insists that this treatment “contravenes international human rights principles protecting children from harm and unlawful detention,” arguing that “Ideally, those children are supposed to be treated first as victims of state abuse and deprivation whose leaders have failed to provide the necessary leadership.”
The group made allusion to “criminals and bandits that are holding the entire country to ransom,” but treated with kid gloves.
They said, “The government’s priorities appear to be detaining, abusing and crushing the vulnerable children,” and requested an “immediate and unconditional release of all minors detained” urging government to adopt “dialogue and constructive engagement over intimidation.”
They asked civil society organisations to provide humanitarian aid to these detained children, asserting, “The protection of children is non-negotiable, and we implore the authorities to treat these young citizens with the compassion and respect they deserve.”
The statement reads, “The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has observed that a number of Nigerians, sadly many minors below the age of 18, have been detained for over 90 days before their arraignment in an Abuja High Court on Friday for exercising their constitutional rights in a protest against hunger and bad governance.
“It was learnt that at least four of the children collapsed in the courtroom during the arraignment as a result of hunger and absence of medical care while in custody.
“Unfortunately, the detention and arraignment of those frail, malnourished and hapless children have exposed the government as a desperate entity that is determined to de-market and embarrass Nigeria before the international community while presenting its credentials for medals in gross inhumanity.
“The continued detention and mistreatment of these minors is a gross violation of their basic rights, including the right to freedom of expression and assembly. Therefore, CNG strongly condemns this abuse of power and the blatant disregard for the welfare and dignity of young citizens.”
The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that the children are thirteen years and above insisting that it did no wrong in arraigning minors at the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged role in the #EndBadGovernance protests despite the national and global outrage which greeted the incident.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi during an interview with Channels TV on Friday stated that the law of the country allows that children of thirteen years of age and above can be tried in court.
He said, “The fact that you are thirteen years old does not mean you cannot be charged to court, even the child and young persons act says a thirteen year old can be charged to court.
“So we have charged them to court for this on behalf of the federal government, because these are those who are leveraged on the #Endbadgovernance protest, they hijacked the protest and they are so violent, they were the people that were flying Russian flags which of course is a punishable offence, they are criminally liable, we have not charged any underage in our own context here to court,” he explained.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu on Friday has ordered the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, to review the treasonable felony charges brought against these underage children and make recommendations.
Hopefully, there will be need for an investigation to be carried out on why they are malnourished and unkempt because five minors out of the 76 defendants meant to be arraigned on Friday slumped inside the courtroom and were rushed to the hospital.
Whereas, human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has filed an application urging the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss charges against the underage defendants accused of treason for allegedly participating in the August #EndBadGovernance protest requesting the government to compulsorily fund their education as part of its duty to children.
Falana emphasised that this reques is a constitutional obligation in line with “Section 18 (3) (a) (b) (c) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 15 of the Child’s Rights Act, Section 2 of the Universal Basic Education Act, and Article 17 of the African Charter.”
Falana argued that the Federal High Court “lacks the jurisdiction to try them by virtue of Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution,” stressing that, under “Section 204 of the Child’s Rights Act, they can only be subjected to the child justice system.”
Although, Federal High Court presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, on Friday granted bail to 76 protesters, N10 million bail for the adult protesters, the court demanded the parents of the minors to take their children on bail.
Each of the defendants N10 million bond and one surety to each of the for the adult protesters while the court demanded the parents of the minors to take their children on bail.
The judge subsequently ordered the remand of the adults in the Kuje Correctional Services and the minors in the Bostal Homes pending when they fulfill their bail conditions. The court then adjourned until 24 January for trial.