The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed all charges against 119 individuals who had been detained for participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The charges, which included treasonable felony, intent to destabilize the nation, and incitement to mutiny, were dropped following a court session led by Justice Egwuatu.
The protests, which took place between August 1 and August 10, were organized in response to worsening economic conditions and dissatisfaction with government policies.
Demonstrators had taken to the streets in several cities, including Abuja and Kano, to voice their grievances. Some protesters were reportedly tear-gassed, while others were arrested or injured during clashes with security forces.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the Director of Public Prosecution, M. D. Abubakar, representing the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), requested that the federal government take over the case from the police. Abubakar cited Section 174 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which grants the AGF the power to discontinue any legal proceedings in the public interest.
Defense lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) voiced no opposition to this move, agreeing with the AGF’s right to intervene. Falana stated that the decision was aligned with both the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Child Rights Act, highlighting that 32 of the detained individuals were minors.
Femi Falana (SAN), said, “We have no objection to the application because it is per the letter and spirit of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act as well as several provisions of the Child Rights Act.
“The AGF has the power to take over the case at any stage and exercise his discretion to discontinue the suit.”
In response to the agreement, the court accepted the AGF’s request and formally dismissed the charges. Following this, Justice Egwuatu ordered the immediate release of all 119 detainees from prison. Although the defendants were not present in the courtroom, the judge’s directive ensured their freedom.
The decision followed significant public outrage after reports of the detainees’ poor condition surfaced. Concerns had been raised about the appearance of some of the protesters, with witnesses noting that several looked sickly and malnourished. Four of the detainees even collapsed during a previous court session, further fueling calls for their release.
The dismissal was prompted in part by a directive from President Bola Tinubu, who reportedly instructed the AGF to secure the protesters’ release. Subsequently, the Inspector General of Police transferred the case file to the AGF, allowing Tuesday’s expedited proceedings and the court’s final decision to free the protesters.
