Federal Government Considers Lifting Treason Charges On Youth Involved In #EndBadGovernance Protests

Federal Government Considers Lifting Treason Charges On Youth Involved In #EndBadGovernance ProtestsThe Federal Government may be considering the withdrawal of treason charges against over 100 #EndBadGovernance protesters. The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has received the case files and is currently reviewing them to determine the appropriate next steps.

In response to public backlash, the Nigeria Police Force defended its actions, stating that it adhered to due process in the arraignment of the minors involved. The police asserted that Nigerian law allows for the arraignment of individuals as young as seven and that they took steps to ensure the suspects’ rights and access to medical care were upheld.

Despite this, the police handed the case files to the Ministry of Justice following the AGF’s request for a review. Sources indicate that a team from the Federal Ministry of Justice, led by the Director of Public Prosecution, is engaged in discussions to potentially reschedule the cases, initially set for January 24, 2025, to an earlier date this week, with the aim of possibly dropping the charges entirely.

Last Friday, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, granted bail to the defendants under strict conditions, including a N10 million bond and two sureties. The judge expressed concern for the minors and acknowledged their commitment to appearing for trial.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana has requested the court to decline jurisdiction over the cases. In an application filed on Friday, he also urged the court to mandate the Federal Government to fund the education of the 29 minors among the defendants.

Falana’s application seeks an order for the court to refrain from hearing the charges as they currently stand, and to ensure the minors receive educational support until at least the completion of their secondary education or university.

He identified several minors involved, ranging in age from 14 to 17, and argued that it is inappropriate to charge minors alongside adults and remand them in custody with convicted individuals. Falana emphasized that the approach taken by the authorities undermines the rights of children to education and moral upbringing, violating multiple legal provisions.

He concluded that the charges against the minors lack legal merit and called for their rights to education to be upheld by the court.

For more information on this article and other related posts from Bushradiogist, please join our WhatsApp channel by clicking this link https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaUumOODTkK7AZL1Fw3o. For advertisement inquiries only, kindly send a message to 090 1907 0863 on WhatsApp.