Outrage as #EndBadGovernance protesters faint during a court hearing.

Outrage as #EndBadGovernance protesters faint during a court hearing.

Outrage erupted on Friday as several minors detained for their participation in the #EndBadGovernance protests fainted during a court hearing. These young detainees had been held for three months, with some as young as 14, looking malnourished and disheveled.

At the end of the Federal High Court session in Abuja, all 76 defendants, including 26 minors aged 14 to 17, were granted a 10m Naira bail. The 10-count charge against them alleged they participated in violent demonstrations across various regions, including the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Sokoto, and Zamfara, from August 1 to 10.

Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun accused the defendants of conspiring with Andrew Martin Wayne, a 70-year-old British citizen, to disrupt stability in Nigeria and advocate for a military takeover. Prosecutors also alleged the defendants had incited military and foreign governments to overthrow Nigeria’s democratic administration by waving Russian and other foreign flags during the protests.

According to the prosecution, the defendants were armed without authorization, allegedly attacking and killing security personnel on duty while demanding the suspension of democracy and the president’s removal. These actions, prosecutors argued, violated multiple sections of Nigeria’s Penal Code.

When the charges were read in English and translated into Hausa, the defendants all pleaded not guilty. Each was granted bail with a N10 million bond, requiring two sureties. The judge specified that one surety must be a senior federal civil servant, and the other a family member who must file a deposition with the court.

Justice Egwuatu ordered that minors be placed in the Borstal Home in Kuje while adult defendants await bail fulfillment at a correctional facility. He scheduled the next hearing for January 24, 2025.

Defence attorney Marshal Abubakar advocated for bail to prevent minors from being housed with adults, as their previous detention order had expired. While police representative Audu Garba did not oppose bail, he urged the court to ensure strict conditions due to the severity of the charges.

After the hearing, Abubakar stated that minors had been detained alongside adults at police facilities, lacked adequate nutrition, and missed three months of schooling with no educational provisions during their detention.