The previously arraigned minors who were recently charged to court for their involvement in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest are meeting with Nigeria’s Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa.
This meeting follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive for all charges against the minors to be withdrawn. The protest, which took place from August 1 to 10, aimed at addressing economic hardship, sparked widespread reaction across the nation.
The minors, part of a larger group of 119 individuals who were initially charged with treason and inciting military action, faced legal proceedings in Abuja.
Their November 1 arraignment drew intense public criticism and international concern, particularly for including minors. Following the public outcry,
Attorney-General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi instructed the police to hand over the case files, and the federal government announced its intention to discontinue the charges.
On November 5, the Federal High Court in Abuja officially struck out the charges, leading to the release of all 119 detainees.
The case involved two groups, with 76 protesters, including 32 minors, in the first batch and 43 in the second. During the proceedings, M. D. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Ministry of Justice, informed Justice Egwuatu that the federal government had decided to discontinue the prosecution.