NHRC slams police over treason charges against minors

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned the arraignment of minors on treason charges by the Nigerian Police following their involvement in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests.

The NHRC asserts that the police’s actions contravene national, regional, and international child protection laws and that the charges signify an excessive and inappropriate use of state power against children.

Dr. Tony Ojukwu, Executive Secretary of the NHRC, in a statement, highlighted that the charges, which include treason and attempting to overthrow the government, are unjustified and inappropriate.

He noted that these minors have been detained since August 2024 and that the judge imposed bail conditions so severe that the children cannot meet them, effectively prolonging their detention until January 2025.

He said some of these children appeared malnourished and unwell, yet the court disregarded their welfare, Ojukwu remarked, questioning the humanity behind the judicial decisions.

The NHRC emphasised that under Nigeria’s Child’s Rights Act 2003, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and international frameworks like the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), children in conflict with the law should be treated with a focus on protection, rehabilitation, and best interests rather than punitive measures intended for adults.

Ojukwu warned that treating minors as treason suspects poses severe psychological harm, risking future resentment toward society. “Our children could grow up with deep grudges against the society that failed to protect them,” he stated, urging for “immediate corrective action.”

The Attorney General Prince Lateef Fagbemi intervened, directing the Nigerian Police to send the minors’ case files to his office for review by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPPF).

This action, lauded by the NHRC, could result in a re-evaluation of the charges, bail conditions, and the appropriateness of handling minors alongside adults in the justice system.

The NHRC emphasised that the right to peaceful protest, as exercised in the #EndBadGovernance movement, should be protected and that all legal actions against minors should align with fairness and child protection standards.

The commission called on the judiciary and police to uphold children’s rights and called for broader juvenile justice reforms to prevent similar cases in the future.