Nigerian Authorities Told to Immediately Release Minors Detained in Abuja

Nigerian Authorities Told to Immediately Release Minors Detained in Abuja

  • Senator Hassan Ibrahim Dankwambo has called on relevant authorities in Nigeria to thoroughly investigate the alleged inhumane treatment of minors in Abuja
  • The legislator condemned the continued detention of the minors, saying it is unacceptable and contrary to the principles of justice and fairness
  • Dankwambo, therefore, asked the Bola Tinubu administration to release all the 75 people arraigned over their alleged involvement in the August 'End Bad Governance in Nigeria' protests

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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering public affairs and governance.

FCT, Abuja - Hassan Ibrahim Dankwambo, the senator representing Gombe North, on Friday, November 1, issued a strong condemnation of the detention and maltreatment of minors involved in the 'End Bad Governance' protests.

The former governor expressed deep concern after several detained children, some under the age of 15, collapsed due to malnutrition inside a federal high court in Abuja.

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Nigerian authorities told to immediately release minors detained in Abuja
Senator Dankwambo demands immediate release of 'End Bad Governance' minors.
Source: Original

The minors have been held since August by the Nigerian police after participating in protests against worsening economic hardship in the country. The development has caused public outrage.

In a statement posted on his verified X (formerly known as Twitter) page, Dankwambo said section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act guarantees the dignity of the child.

He wrote:

"These minors should be released immediately without any conditions attached.
"This is condemnable, and the actions of the authorities violate Section 11 of the Child Rights Act, which guarantees the dignity of the child."

In the same vein, civil society organisations (CSOs) asked all relevant authorities in the country to ensure the children's swift release and hold accountable those who orchestrated their detention.

According to the social activists, the scenes from Abuja stand as a dark stain on Nigeria's commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights.

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Tinubu’s govt considers dropping charges against arrested minors, details emerge

Social commentator kicks over children's detention

Meanwhile, Adigun Muse, a former head of the political science department at the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), said the detention and arraignment of the frail children is "bad optics".

Muse accused some persons of trying to de-market and embarrass Nigeria before the international community.

He told Legit.ng:

"What we saw is a blatant disregard for the welfare and dignity of young citizens, and I condemn it.
"The protection of the children is non-negotiable, thus, my counsel is for authorities to treat these young boys with the compassion they deserve."

Sani tells Tinubu to withdraw charges against minors

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, urged the federal government led by President Tinubu to immediately withdraw the charges slammed against minors who participated in the August 1-10, 2024, nationwide protest.

Read also

"Deliberate and scripted manner": IGP speaks as minors arrested over protest faint in court

Sani in a post shared on his X page, described the development as "unfortunate and shameful."

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Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ridwan Adeola avatar

Ridwan Adeola (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content creator with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion. Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.