- The police spokesperson said none of the #Endbadgovernance protesters charged to court is younger than 7 years, adding that the youngest among them is 13-year-old.
The Nigeria Police Force has justified its reason for docking minors who participated in the hardship and #EndBadGovernance protestz.
76 #Endbadgovernance protesters, who are minors, were arraigned on Friday for their involvement in the 1-10 August 2024 public demonstrations over the widespread hardship and suffering in the country.
They are charged with treason and other offences and were later granted N10 million bail each, while the matter was adjourned till January 2025.
One of the minors fainted during court proceeding and rushed to the hospital.
Their arraignment has sparked widespread condemnation and outrage among Nigerians with many describing it as a new low in Nigeria’s descent into a failed State.
Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, have condemned the arraignment, calling the treatment and arraignment of the minors ‘inhumane’.
Speaking on the development, the police said that anyone more than 7 years old can be charged to court but certain procedures have to be followed.
The Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Ogunjobi, disclosed this on Friday during an interview with Channels Television.
He stated that the minors are criminally liable because they hijacked the #EndBadGovernance protest and also flew the Russian flags.
The police spokesperson said none of the #Endbadgovernance protesters charged to court is younger than 7 years, adding that the youngest among them is 13-year-old.
“Once you are more than 7 years old, you can be charged to court… None of them is less than 7…The fact that you are 13 years old does not mean you can’t be charged to court ”, he said
Discussion about this post