AGF moves to review #EndBadGovernance protesters cases following Tinubu’s directive

Following a directive from President Bola Tinubu, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called for the case file of minors and others facing treason charges over the #EndBadGovernance protests, a case that has sparked national and international outcry.

Sources confirmed that Tinubu’s directive, issued on Friday, urged the AGF to thoroughly review the charges filed against the detained underage protesters, many of whom reportedly collapsed due to malnourishment during a Federal High Court hearing in Abuja.

In a statement released Friday evening, Fagbemi expressed concern over the arraignment of the young protesters, stating, “There are some issues my office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me take an informed decision.” He acknowledged that the court had placed stringent bail conditions on over 70 defendants, including minors, and that the case had been adjourned to January 2024, while the defendants remain in detention.

Fagbemi has instructed the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) to expedite a review of the case file, with the aim of potentially advancing the court date for a speedier resolution.

The harsh bail terms—set at N10 million for each defendant—have come under scrutiny from legal representatives, including defense lawyer Deji Adeyanju, who argued that such conditions effectively keep the protesters in prison. Several human rights organizations condemned the continued detention and treatment of the minors, accusing the administration of punitive measures against protesters.

Advocacy groups, including the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and the Democratic Socialist Movement, released statements on Friday demanding the immediate release of all detained protesters and a halt to criminalizing public dissent. Their demands also include an investigation into allegations of abuse faced by the detained minors, such as starvation and psychological trauma, calling for an end to what they describe as state-sponsored intimidation of protestors in Nigeria.