- Those arrested were said to be from Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano.
- The charges against them include terrorism, arson, and treasonable felony.
Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano has pledged to do everything necessary to bring back minors from the state who were arraigned for allegedly joining the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Between August 1 and 10, the protest was held nationwide to demand a reduction in the cost of governance, the return of petrol subsidy, improved food security and fiscal discipline, among others.
The protest turned violent in some parts of the country while hoodlums looted and vandalised public and private properties.
After the protests, the police announced the arrest of alleged perpetrators of violence and looting in some states.
On Friday, some of those arrested, many of whom are children, were brought before a federal high court in Abuja.
At the commencement of the proceedings, four of the alleged protesters were hurriedly rushed out after they collapsed.
The court later granted N10 million bail to each of the 72 defendants and removed four sick children’s names from the charge, while the remaining defendants pleaded not guilty.
Many Nigerians, including leading politicians, have condemned the arraignment of minors by the federal government.
However, Rimazonte Ezekiel, the federal government prosecutor, claimed that all the persons arraigned were adults.
Ezekiel denied that there were minors among the suspects, adding that “most of them are married men”.
He also claimed that the “small kids” present in court “came with their parents to greet their loved ones” and “are not even the real suspects standing trial in this case”.
Afterwards, Muyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), said individuals above seven years old can be charged in court.
The police spokesperson said that the youngest among those arraigned is aged 13, adding that
those arraigned allegedly hijacked the protests.
It is worthy to note that those arrested were said to be from Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano, and have been accused of treason, among other offences.
Addressing the incident on his X page, the Kano governor said Haruna Dederi, Kano attorney-general and commissioner of justice, has been directed to take immediate action.
“My attention has been drawn to the appearance of teenagers (some believed to be from Kano) in court today in Abuja,” Yusuf said.
“The Commissioner of Justice has been instructed to act immediately on the issue.
“We shall do everything possible to get them back to Kano, in sha Allah.”