A lawyer representing the federal government, Ezekiel Rimazonte, has drawn significant backlash after referring to young protesters facing trial as adults, married men, and university graduates.
The individuals in question were among a group of 76 people, including 32 minors, who were brought before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court in Abuja. They were detained for their participation in the #EndBadGovernance protests in August.
The arraignment, which has already raised eyebrows due to the involvement of minors, took a surprising turn when Rimazonte dismissed the idea that any children were involved in the case.
Despite widespread reports and visual evidence showing young individuals appearing as young as 11, Rimazonte insisted that the suspects were “all adults” and even suggested that many of them were married and had graduated from university.
His statements appeared to contradict the official stance provided by police spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, who had acknowledged the presence of minors in the case.
In an interview on Channels Television, Adejobi clarified the legal provisions for trying minors in court, explaining, “Once you are more than seven, you can be charged to court. The only thing is that you need to follow certain procedures to do that.”
He further noted that the youngest of the suspects was believed to be 13 years old, adding, “The fact that you are 13 years old doesn’t mean you cannot be charged to court.”
However, Rimazonte’s firm denial of the involvement of minors has spurred intense criticism.
He said, “These boys that we brought to the court today, all of them are adults. Most of them are married men. None of them is a minor. Some of them are university graduates. The small small kids you are seeing here, they came with some of their parents to come and greet their loved ones. They are not the real suspects standing trial in this case.” He further mentioned that the suspects were initially arrested in Kaduna and Zaria.
These remarks have not gone unnoticed, sparking a flurry of angry reactions online. Many Nigerians took to social media to express their frustration over what they perceived as a blatant attempt to misrepresent the situation.
One Twitter user, @Phatgold, expressed disappointment with the legal profession, saying, “These people make me regret studying law in Nigeria. Some of the people I call colleagues are the most despicable people in Nigeria.” Another user, @ChikeMBANEFO, commented, “This same man will enter church tomorrow and be speaking in tongues,” suggesting a sense of hypocrisy in Rimazonte’s statements.
Others shared their disbelief at the lawyer’s remarks, questioning his professional integrity. @gbengaday mocked the statements, writing, “Did he say married men? And university graduates? How will someone be on national TV and lie blatantly for what gain? God forbid.” Similarly, @QUEENOFDBLUES1 criticized Rimazonte’s command of language, calling him “a doomed man, defending a doomed nation.”
