President Bola Tinubu has ordered the release of all minors detained for their involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests, which swept across Nigeria in August. This announcement follows widespread outrage over the arrest, treatment, and court arraignment of 72 minors accused of treason for standing up against the state of the nation.
The public’s anger boiled over on November 1, 2024, when these children, looking gaunt and visibly unwell after weeks in detention, were brought to the Federal High Court in Abuja. They were granted bail at an eye-watering N10 million each by Judge Obiora Egwuatu—an amount that left many wondering if justice had been replaced by a bizarre display of showmanship.
Critics, from former presidential candidates to civil rights groups and human rights activists, questioned the government’s priorities, as these minors had already endured eight weeks of detention for daring to protest the crippling cost of living and rampant hunger plaguing the nation.
Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, sensing the heat of the backlash, released a carefully worded statement, declaring his office’s intention to “look into” the matter. Perhaps this was his attempt to calm the storm, as he hastily directed the police to transfer the case files to his office, passing them over to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPPF). The quick shift in tone suggested a government scrambling to pacify a furious populace.
Not to be left out of the show, Information Minister Mohammed Idris informed State House correspondents on Monday that the President had not only ordered the release of the detained minors but also tasked the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction with overseeing their welfare and reuniting them with their families.
This “humanitarian” directive was given “without prejudice to ongoing legal processes,” a phrase that felt more like an attempt to cover the government’s tracks than a sincere commitment to justice.
Meanwhile, Tinubu’s setup of a committee led by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to investigate the minors’ arrests, detention conditions, and treatment appears to be a delayed response to an issue that many feel should have never escalated to this point.
The irony? Young people had simply exercised their right to voice discontent with a government they believe is failing them.
