EndBadGovernance Protest: No minor was charged to court – Police

Spokesperson for the Nigeria Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has said the force did not arraign minors as those who appeared in court were liable.

There were outrage from Nigerians over the arraignment of 76 suspects which included 32 minors, before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, for taking part in the EndBadGovernance protest in August.

The suspects, who have been in detention for three months, were arrested in the Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Kano, and Kaduna States.

They were arraigned on 10 counts bordering on treason, intent to destabilise Nigeria, and inciting to mutiny by calling for a military takeover.

Defence counsel Marshall Abubakar asked the court to discharge and acquit the suspects which the prosecution counsel Audu Garba objected to and asked the court to grant them bail.

Justice Egwuatu then granted the suspects bail in the Sun of N10 million each with two sureties in like sum.

Addressing the outcry, Adejobi said in an interview on Channels Television that even a 13-year-old can be charged to court.

“Those that are not criminally liable under the law are our young ones below seven. Once you are more than seven you can be charged to court. The only thing is that you need to follow certain procedures to do that,” he said.

“None of them is less than seven, I think the youngest should be 13 and the fact that you are a 13-year-old doesn’t mean you cannot be charged to court. Even in the children and young person Act, you can be charged to court.

“We have charged them to court for this on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Police has taken the bill by the horn because these are those who actually leveraged on the EndBadGovernance protest, they hijacked the protest and they were so violent.”

Adejobi added that the protesters were the people flying the Russian flags and many foreign flags which is a punishable offence and that they are criminally liable.

Meanwhile, the office of the Inspector General of Police in a statement by Adejobi said the Nigeria Police has adhered to legal provisions to ensure fairness and accountability under the rule of law.

Adejobi explained that the Police have worked to balance justice with compassion, ensuring that each suspect’s basic rights and privileges are respected, including access to medical care and other necessary provisions.

He noted that the Nigeria Police Force remains sensitive to the rights of all individuals, including young persons and that under Nigerian law, individuals who have reached the age of criminal responsibility are answerable for their actions, regardless of their age.

The police spokesman said the Force will maintain professionalism throughout the legal process and urged the public to view the case without undue bias while it pursues justice.