Timi Frank, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged President Bola Tinubu to order the immediate release of minors detained following their alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests.
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Frank, voicing strong opposition to the children’s continued detention in adult facilities, called for their enrolment in schools rather than imprisonment.

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In a statement issued on Sunday, Frank condemned the decision to place the minors in adult correctional facilities among hardened criminals. He further criticised the N10 million bail condition set by Justice Friday Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, describing it as a harsh and unjust penalty imposed on children. According to Frank, this bail decision demonstrates “judicial tyranny” and lacks compassion for Nigeria’s youth.
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“Their prolonged detention of over 90 days in substandard conditions shows a disturbing disregard for their well-being,” Frank said. He highlighted the double standard where financially privileged individuals evade similar treatment, while these children, lacking economic resources, are confined in detention.

“For President Tinubu not to have intervened for these children’s release despite public outrage shows a worrying absence of compassion and fatherly care,” Frank remarked. He argued that in other countries, even children charged with serious offences are treated with rehabilitative care rather than being jailed, a standard that Nigeria should also uphold.
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READ MORE: #EndBadGovernance: Police urge unbiased view in detained minors case, vow empathy

Frank criticised both the judiciary and the lack of government response, adding that the Attorney General’s recent move to retrieve the minors’ case files from the police serves only to prolong their distress. “Seeing these children in their fragile state should compel action, not bureaucratic delays,” he added.

Frank also encouraged the international community and child rights advocates to support the release of these children and to address the broader issue of Nigeria’s over 20 million out-of-school children, urging that they be given a chance to achieve their potential as future leaders.
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