Nigeria drops treason charges against children after outcry

SOURCE | 1 year ago

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BBC Three young men sit a Nigerian court, two wear yellow tops and one wears a blue shirt. Their faces have been blurred to protect their identities. BBC

The boys had been detained since allegedly participating in anti-government protests in August

The Nigerian authorities have dropped treason and other charges against dozens of protesters, including more than 30 children, who were arrested in August after taking part in anti-government demonstrations.

President Bola Tinubu had already called for the release of all the minors - some as young as 14 - after footage of four of them collapsing in court on Friday, apparently due to malnourishment, sparked outrage.

He also said the police and other officials involved in the arrests and subsequent legal processes should be investigated.

The viral videos of the young people writhing in pain led to a renewed debate over their treatment, as well as the length of their detention.

In a statement on Monday, President Tinubu's spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the Nigerian humanitarian affairs ministry had been asked "to ensure the safe return of all the minors to their families while an investigation has been opened into the circumstances leading to their prolonged detention".

When the courtroom footage emerged, Nigerian rights organisation Enough is Enough said they had been subjected to "institutional child abuse".

Amnesty International described the children's detention was "one of the deadliest attempts to suppress freedom of assembly" so far.

Observers say the move to drop the charges and release the children was a face-saving measure and that the government would have avoided the embarrassment if it had not engaged in a high-handed approach against protesters demanding better governance.