The Federal High Court in Abuja has returned minors arrested during the August #EndBadGovernance protests to Kuje Prison due to the inability to fulfil stringent bail requirements.
The protests, which focused on issues like growing poverty and poor governance in Nigeria, led to the arrest and arraignment of 76 individuals, including underage children.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted each adult a bail set at ₦10 million while mandating parents to take responsibility for their children’s release.
Deji Adeyanju, a lawyer representing the detained protesters, wrote on social media that he couldn’t hold back tears as he witnessed the children being taken away.
His post stirred widespread outrage, drawing attention to the harsh treatment faced by the minors.
Several civil society organizations, including the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Enough is Enough Nigeria, SERAP and Amnesty International, have strongly criticized the government and judicial system for imposing such stringent conditions.
CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, called on First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to intervene.