- Safiu Kehinde
Amnesty International Nigeria has demanded immediate release of all detained #EndBadGovernance protesters.
Sequel to the disturbing video where a minor slumped during the court hearing, the humanitarian group, in a statement issued on Friday, called for the unconditional release of the protesters.
As contained in the statement, the group’s Director, Isa Sanusi, accused the Federal Government of utter disregard for the right to freedom of assembly.
According to the group, over 1,000 people were detained nationwide, and some lost their lives in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger State, and Maiduguri due to violent crackdowns on peaceful protests by security personnel.
Amnesty International claimed that the 114 protesters, many of who are children, arraigned at the Abuja Federal High Court today did nothing wrong to deserve the ill treatment.
It claimed that the disheartening incident captured in the court today underscored the impact of the horrifying detention the minors were subjected to, resulting to the poor state of their mental and physical health.
Meanwhile, the group charged President Bola Tinubu to prioritize the widespread of hunger and rapid failing standard of living in the country rather than punishment of protesters.
The statement read in part; “The 114 protesters arraigned today at the Federal High Court, Abuja, have done nothing unlawful and do not deserve the horrifying treatment they have endured since their arrest.
“Among the 76 protesters arraigned in the first group today, the majority are minors, and the collapse of four in the courtroom underscores the poor state of their mental and physical health. Subjecting minors to such horrifying detention for demanding good governance reveals the government’s clear determination to crush dissent.”
“In Katsina, 12 children under 16 years old are also facing an unfair trial. Many of these children ended up in detention simply for being on the streets during the protests.
“Children with their whole lives ahead of them are now at risk of being tried on trumped-up charges. This is unacceptable.
“In the aftermath of the protests in August, over 1,000 people were detained nationwide, and some lost their lives in Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger State, and Maiduguri due to violent crackdowns on peaceful protests by security personnel.”
“Detaining minors unlawfully and subjecting them to sham trials marks a new dimension in the Nigerian government’s persistent attacks on human rights.
“With millions of people on the brink of starvation, widespread malnutrition, and deepening poverty, President Bola Tinubu’s government should urgently address widespread hunger and the rapidly failing standard of living, instead of prioritizing the punishment of protesters.”