The governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has committed to take all necessary procedures to return minors thought to be from Kano who were recently arrested and charged in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The protests, which drew participants from several regions, resulted in the arrest of 72 people from Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano, including several juveniles.
They were charged with terrorism, arson, and treasonable crime at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday. During the court hearings, four children allegedly fell and had to be rushed out.
The court granted bail to the defendants, putting the price at N10 million for each of the 72 people. Minors’ arraignment has sparked significant outrage from politicians, civil society groups, and worried Nigerians.
The federal prosecutor, Rimazonte Ezekiel, stated that all those arraigned were adults, adding that “most of them are married men.” However, Muyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, refuted this, claiming that the youngest member of the group is only 13 years old.
Governor Yusuf voiced alarm at the arrest of teenagers, particularly those believed to be from Kano. on a post on his X (previously Twitter) profile, he revealed that he has asked Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, to take prompt action on the matter.
“My attention has been drawn to the appearance of teenagers (some believed to be from Kano) in court today in Abuja,” Yusuf said. “The Commissioner of Justice has been instructed to act immediately on the issue. We shall do everything possible to get them back to Kano, in sha Allah.”
The detention and trial of juveniles has sparked a national debate over how young protestors should be treated, as well as worries about Nigeria’s civil rights system.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli
