VICE President Kashim Shettima has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the release of over 100 #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters, including many minors, “on humanitarian grounds”.
The gesture, according to Mr Shettima, is without prejudice to the existence of substantial digital video and photographic evidence documenting the actions of some protesters, some of which were uploaded by the individuals themselves.
Shettima made these remarks on Tuesday afternoon while receiving the 114 individuals who were arrested in connection with the protests held in early August but were later discharged by the court earlier on Tuesday.
He said the president decided to give “these young men another chance at becoming responsible citizens who will make a positive impact in the drive for a better Nigeria.”
The protesters were initially arraigned by the Police Force but were released after Justice Obiora Egwatu struck out the case at the request of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
The vice president’s comments suggest that the government believes that the protesters, including the minors, were not wrongly treated and that the president only released them out of pity.
However, many Nigerians, including local and international rights organisations, have condemned the treatment of the protesters, particularly the minors, six of whom fainted in court last Friday.
The criticisms and condemnation are believed to have forced the president to order the release of the protesters, leading to the withdrawal of the charges against them by the Attorney-General of the Federation on Tuesday.
The police had sought to prosecute the minors in regular courts instead of juvenile courts provided for by the Child Rights Act.
The defendants, including minors, have also been kept in detention for more than three months in adult detention facilities against the legal provision that mandates separate custody homes for children.
In protest, many Nigerians on social media, particularly X.com, expressed their displeasure with the government and the stringent bail conditions earlier imposed by the trial judge.
Human rights advocates and civil society organisations also threatened to commence a legal battle against President Tinubu-led government if it failed to halt the trial of the minors.
The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters surged to the streets in major cities around the country between 1 and 10 August to protest against the economic hardship and bad governance in the country.
The protesters blamed the hardship on Mr Tinubu’s economic policies underpinned by the removal of subsidies on petrol and floating of the naira.
The #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests sought the reversal of these policies.
The police have remained impervious to criticism and counsel since they commenced a widespread clampdown on both actual and perceived protesters in August.
The widespread condemnation intensified after they approached the court to obtain court orders for the detention of 76 individuals, including minors, in August.
In September, the police went on to arraign 10 persons over the protest, accusing them of conspiring with a British socialist, Andrew Wynee, to topple the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Following this reception, the individuals will be handed over to their respective state governors, specifically Uba Sani of Kaduna and Abba Yusuf of Kano.
A number of ministers attended the reception at the State House Auditorium in Abuja, including Tunji Alausa (Minister of Education), Nentawe Yilwatda (Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction), Balarabe Lawal (Minister of Environment), and Tanko Sununu (Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction).
Also present were key dignitaries such as Deputy Senate President Jubrin Barau and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abubakar Bichi, along with Abdullahi Yakasai, Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement for the Northwest.
Eighteen-Eleven Media