Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian government to immediately release minors who were detained following the #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024.
The organization condemned the arrests and expressed deep concern over the treatment of young protesters, stating that the detention of minors violated both national and international human rights standards.
Amnesty insisted that those detained be released without delay, emphasizing the need to respect freedom of expression and assembly in the country.
The #EndBadGovernance protests, which took place from August 1 to August 10, 2024, saw thousands of Nigerians taking to the streets across various states, including Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Gombe. The demonstrations aimed to voice frustration over rising economic hardship, hunger, and corruption across Nigeria.
However, tensions escalated when some protesters were reportedly seen waving the Russian flag, a symbolic act that led to condemnation from government authorities. This prompted security forces to arrest many protesters, some of whom were minors.
Among the detained individuals were Yahaya, 14, and Muktar Ishak Alhassan, 16. During a court hearing in Abuja last Friday, these two minors, along with two other protesters, reportedly collapsed in the courtroom. According to reports, the incident has sparked outrage on social media, where Nigerians have expressed their dissatisfaction with how the young detainees were being treated.
As the case proceeded, Audu Garba, representing the Inspector-General of Police, stated in court that the hearing was intended to arraign 76 detainees, some of whom had been held in custody since their arrests in August.
The detained minors are reportedly facing serious charges, including “treasonable felony,” which Amnesty and other human rights groups argue is unjustified and disproportionate.
In response to the detentions, Amnesty International released a statement condemning President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its handling of the protests and treatment of the minors.
The statement reads; “Amnesty International condemns President Bola Tinubu’s government for the continues detention of minors for participating in the August #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests. The attempts to put the minors through a sham trial over alleged ‘treason’ shows the government’s utter disregard for the rule of law. The authorities must release them immediately and unconditionally.”
“Putting minors through these horrifying detentions for participating in protests against hunger and corruption is — so far — one of the deadliest attempts to suppress freedom of assembly. President Bola Tinubu must unconditionally release minors detailed since August:
“In Katsina, at least 12 children under 16-years-old were detained. The children ended up in detention for just being on the streets during the #EndBadGovernance protests. Children with their whole lives ahead of them are now at the risk of being tried on trumped up charges.
“Right now charges of treasonable felony are being read to another group of 43 protesters in the same Federal High Court #Abuja. The Nigerian authorities are only escalating attempts to deprive people the right to peaceful protests, through horrifying detentions and sham trials.
“The government of President Bola Tinubu must uphold the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights of everyone in the country — including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. All protesters currently on trial or detained must be released.
“The Nigerian authorities detained these minors unlawfully — putting them through horrifying experiences — for exercising their right to peaceful protest. Government must release them all — immediately and unconditionally.”
