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Police Confirms Minors Among Protesters Arraigned For Treason In Nigeria
https://osazuwaakonedo.news/police-confirms-minors-among-protesters-arraigned-for-treason-in-nigeria/02/11/2024/
#Issues #Protest ©November 2nd, 2024 ®November 2, 2024 10:35 am Nigeria Police Force, NPF under the leadership of Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun has confirmed that unspecified numbers of minors or children below the constitutional age of 18 years are among the large numbers of protesters the Federal Government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is currently trying for treason after they were arrested and detained since August 2024 for protesting against hunger and Bad Governance In Nigeria with some of them sewing and waving Russia flags to express their grievances or opinions against the government and life threatening economic situation in the West Africa country. #OsazuwaAkonedo
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0:00
Nigeria police force npf under the
0:03
leadership of Inspector General of
0:05
police igp K Okun has confirmed that
0:08
unspecified numbers of minors or
0:10
children below the Constitutional age of
0:12
18 years are among the large numbers of
0:15
protesters the federal government led by
0:17
President Bola AMU is currently trying
0:19
for treason after they were arrested and
0:21
detained since August 2024 for
0:23
protesting against hunger and bad
0:25
governance in Nigeria with some of them
0:27
sewing and waving Russia Flags to
0:29
express the grievances or opinions
0:31
against the government and
0:32
life-threatening economic situation in
0:34
the West Africa country the igp speaking
0:38
through the first public relations
0:40
officer ol adj on Friday in an interview
0:44
with private television station in
0:46
Nigeria Channel's television said the
0:49
list among the protesters aren was 13
0:51
years old adding that children below 18
0:54
years of age can be arrested and
0:56
prosecuted for criminal offense as far
0:58
as they are not less than 7 years old
1:01
once you are more than 7 years old you
1:04
can be charged to court none of them is
1:07
less than seven the fact that you are 13
1:10
years old does not mean you can't be
1:12
charged to court UA adab stated UA added
1:17
that the children were arraigned for
1:19
violent protests and flying Russia Flags
1:21
in Nigeria an allegation that has been
1:24
disputed by many people in the society
1:27
on the ground that many hotels and
1:29
companies hoist foreign Flags in Nigeria
1:32
some observers said flying foreign Flags
1:35
in a country can only become a crime if
1:37
the country is in war with the country
1:39
the hoisted flag or Flags symbolically
1:42
hold allegiance to then the person or
1:45
persons can be seen as enemy or enemies
1:48
of his own country working against his
1:50
own country which is treasonable we are
1:53
not aware if Nigeria is in war with
1:55
Russia and the action of the protesters
1:58
were mere expression of of their
2:00
feelings or opinions and the police is
2:03
yet to state if the protesters marched
2:05
action with words in the course of their
2:08
investigation the police authorities
2:10
confirmation that Minal are among the
2:13
protesters AR for treason over the andb
2:15
government protest in August 2024 in
2:18
Nigeria contradicted the statement made
2:20
by the federal government prosecution
2:22
Council who had during interview with
2:24
newsman on Friday at the court premises
2:27
claimed that all the suspects were
2:29
adults and the little children seen
2:31
around them were their relatives
2:33
meanwhile the Attorney General of the
2:35
Federation and Minister of Justice Latif
2:39
fi has stepped into the legal
2:41
proceedings surrounding the recent
2:43
arrangment of the enba governance
2:44
protesters by directing the Nigeria
2:47
police force to transfer the case File
2:49
to his office for review the protest
2:52
which culminated in multiple arrests so
2:55
suspects AR reigned in court on charges
2:58
of treason and others according to punch
3:01
newspaper F in a statement on Friday
3:04
said the move was prompted by the need
3:06
to examine the case more closely before
3:09
taking any further action there are some
3:12
issues my office will need to look into
3:14
regarding the matter to enable me to
3:16
take an informed decision F said the
3:20
court had reminded the defendants in
3:22
various detention centers and set a
3:24
hearing date for January fary
3:27
acknowledged the Court's Authority in
3:29
matter emphasizing it is not within my
3:33
power to BU the order of the Court
3:35
reminding the defendants in detention
3:37
centers and adjourning the case to
3:39
January to expedite proceedings however
3:43
the agf announced plans to request for
3:46
an earlier hearing I have directed The
3:49
Nigeria police to transfer the case File
3:51
to my office and hand over they s to the
3:54
director of public prosecution of the
3:57
Federation dppf tomorrow Saturday the
4:00
2nd of November 2024 he stated fari
4:05
further instructed the dppf to make
4:07
preparations to appeal to the court for
4:09
a revised soona hearing date I have
4:13
directed The dppf to immediately put
4:16
Machinery in motion for consideration of
4:18
the court to bring the adjournment Deb
4:20
forward he added at the federal high
4:23
court in Abuja some minors who were Aran
4:27
over the NBA governance protest
4:30
collapsed in the courtroom with many
4:32
appearing visibly malnourished following
4:34
their 3 months of
4:36
incarceration following their arrangment
4:38
the court granted each minor 10 million
4:40
nairas bill Peter OB former anambra
4:44
State Governor and presidential
4:46
candidate of labor party in the last
4:48
general elections in Nigeria in a
4:50
statement on Friday said I just watched
4:53
the disturbing and condemnable sins
4:55
captured in a circulating video showing
4:58
124 protest sisters among the minors
5:01
appearing in court today as part of
5:03
efforts to secure the enforcement of
5:05
their fundamental rights the footage
5:08
reveals minors some so weak that the
5:10
cold belly stand others fting from sheer
5:13
exhaustion and lack of
5:15
nourishment these children appeared
5:17
visibly malnourished and starved a
5:20
condition that should alarm the
5:21
conscience of every citizen in our
5:24
nation from their look they were poorly
5:27
handled despite being in the custody of
5:29
the federal government of Nigeria the
5:32
offense being alleged against these
5:34
suspects including minors is protested
5:38
against Bad governance that was directly
5:40
affecting their livelihood and which our
5:42
Constitution under a democratic
5:44
dispensation guarantees them curiously
5:48
most of the people in government today
5:50
Lage this aspect of the Constitution
5:52
standing as champions of good governance
5:55
while in opposition moreover our status
5:59
presumed that suspects deserve some
6:01
dignity even in a correctional home as
6:04
human beings the reason why we should
6:07
all be concerned about a situation like
6:09
this is because we are part of a global
6:11
Community where human dignity should be
6:14
respected may I appreciate the presiding
6:17
lordship for halting the trial and
6:19
serving the country for the
6:20
embarrassment it would have been to the
6:22
world as a democratic Nation I would
6:25
like to call on relevant authorities
6:28
especially the minister of Justice and
6:30
the Attorney General of the Federation
6:32
the police and the DSs as well as the
6:36
national Human Rights Commission to
6:38
thoroughly investigate such inhuman
6:40
treatment of minors to avoid such
6:42
incidents in the future Peter Obi said
6:46
aiku abaka former vice president of
6:49
Nigeria and the people's Democratic
6:51
party PDP presidential candidate in the
6:54
last conclus general elections in
6:56
Nigeria reacted on Friday by saying a
6:59
disturbing video of malnourished
7:01
children being arraigned before a
7:03
federal high court on the orders of the
7:04
B federal government has been brought to
7:07
my notice the horrible sin reminiscent
7:10
of a Nazi concentration camp once again
7:13
reflects the low premium the current
7:15
government places on the lives of the
7:17
vulnerable especially children for
7:20
emphasis section 11 of the child's
7:23
Rights Act guarantees Dignity of the
7:25
child it states that every child is
7:29
entit to respect for the Dignity of his
7:31
person and accordingly no child shall be
7:35
a subjected to physical mental or
7:38
emotional injury abuse neglect or
7:41
maltreatment including sexual abuse
7:44
being subjected to torture inhuman or
7:48
degrading treatment or punishment the
7:51
children are being prosecuted for their
7:53
alleged role in the enba governance
7:55
protest which took place between August
7:57
1st and August 10th
8:00
2024 if they are just being around R 3
8:03
months later one can only imagine the
8:05
sort of the humanizing conditions that
8:08
have been subjected to and have been
8:09
detained all this while I find it
8:12
reprehensible that a man who claims to
8:15
have fought for Nigeria's democracy and
8:17
hard lead protest now demonizes those
8:20
who decide to demonstrate against the
8:23
effects of his harsh and Draconian
8:25
policies children who are the most
8:28
affected by this policy have every right
8:30
to protest peacefully as guaranteed by
8:33
the Constitution and the child Rights
8:35
Act a nation can be assessed by the way
8:38
it treats its most vulnerable citizens
8:41
it is suddening that even underage
8:43
children are not spared from the
8:45
wickedness of tea pain the disturbing
8:48
condition under which the alleged
8:50
accused children were brought to court
8:51
project the very justification for their
8:54
participation in the protest in the
8:56
first place Aro abbaka stated Amnesty
9:00
International also in a statement on
9:02
Friday said the Nigerian authorities
9:05
detain this minors unlawfully putting
9:07
them through horrifying experiences for
9:10
exercising their right to peaceful
9:12
protest government must release them all
9:16
immediately and
9:18
unconditionally uh those that are not
9:21
criminally liable under the law those
9:24
are the people are young ones below the
9:26
age of seven once are more than seven
9:29
you can be ched to court the only thing
9:31
is that you need to follow certain
9:32
procedures to do that but none of them
9:35
is less than seven I think the youngest
9:38
should be 13 the fact that you're 13
9:40
year old doesn't mean you cannot be Ted
9:43
to court so anybody even the child
9:47
children and Young Person's act they can
9:49
still charge you to court because you
9:51
are 13 year old you can go to court so
9:54
they we have charged them to court for
9:56
this on behalf of the federal government
9:58
of Nigeria the police has taken the bull
10:00
by the horn because these are those who
10:03
actually are leveraged on the end bad
10:06
governance protest they jacked the
10:09
protest and they are so violent they are
10:14
people that are flying the Russian flags
10:16
and many foreign foreign Flags which of
10:19
course you know is a punishable offense
10:21
so they are liable we have not charged
10:24
any underage in our own context here to
10:27
court for those who have been following
10:28
trends of Engagement M with social media
10:31
influencers and content creators you
10:33
know we have been engaging them for time
10:35
and even this department has made more
10:37
than three or four statements concerning
10:38
that to condemn unlawful authorized use
10:42
of police uniform arment not only the
10:44
police you can't use any law enforcement
10:47
uniform the military the police can't
10:49
use their uniform to
10:50
act this boys that we brought to the
10:53
court
10:55
today all of them are
10:58
adults most of them are married
11:01
men none of them is a
11:05
minor some of them are University
11:08
graduates the small small kids you
11:11
seeing
11:12
here they came with some of their
11:14
parents to come and greet their loved
11:15
ones they are not even the real suspect
11:18
standing trial in this
11:20
case these boys were
11:23
arrested in kaduna and
11:27
Zara imagine the level we find ourself
11:32
now do do you know how much it cost us
11:35
to be at this level of a democracy in
11:37
this country these young boys are trying
11:39
to destabilize Nigeria using the Russian
11:44
flags and other countries calling on the
11:47
military to remove our president is it
11:50
fair to even remove the state Governors
11:53
that they don't want democracy again if
11:55
you don't like democracy are we forcing
11:57
you you go back woman
12:01
seat everybody is enjoying their
12:03
fundamental rights nobody is abusing
12:06
their rights everybody is enjoying free
12:10
movement and everything things are
12:12
moving fine in the country this boy is
12:14
only for no
12:16
reason they started protest violent
12:19
protest with the flags foreign Flags
12:21
Russian Flags Hab is that what we want
12:25
in this
12:26
country don't mind the defense Council
12:29
they will always say something to Tanish
12:31
the neighbor of Nigerian police it's not
12:34
true I in my own case we fight charge
12:37
against 43 defendants and all of them
12:41
were produced to the court today all of
12:43
them are
12:44
adults forget about what they are
12:47
telling you that they are small children
12:49
this and that ask the defense council do
12:52
they truly know the suspect they
12:56
defended while we were in court this
12:58
morning
13:00
and shortly before The Plea of the
13:04
defendants mly under a children could be
13:07
taken some of them who were looking quma
13:11
nourished who were looking quite very
13:14
sick started sing in court before The
13:20
Honorable Justice
13:22
U jatu was seeing the fting of these
13:27
young persons of school
13:30
had to adj proceed had to stand down
13:33
proceedings
13:35
abruptly we had to rush some of these
13:37
youngk children to the uh the clinic
13:43
within the facility of the court for
13:45
them to be resuscitated some of them are
13:47
still receiving treatment as I speak to
13:49
you in the clinic this young persons has
13:53
been arrested since the second day of
13:55
August 2024 over 3 months they've been
14:00
without clothing without housing without
14:03
proper care they are looking very
14:06
malnourished as you can see the videos
14:08
that are flying around social
14:11
media they were kept at the KU
14:14
correction center and at the the
14:19
notorious at
14:24
South now this is the facility that has
14:26
held our young children
14:29
SCH that have been kept by this
14:30
government over allegations of
14:33
attempting to overthrow the president
14:36
the question now comes to how can a 12
14:39
13 14 year old boy who is looking very
14:43
frail and malnourished attempt to
14:45
overthrow the president that is a matter
14:48
for another day but we have find an
14:51
application contesting and challenging
14:53
the powers of the courts to try these
14:56
young persons and this object ction is
14:59
founded on very solid
15:02
foundation the constitution of Nigeria
15:04
in section
15:06
18 vest on the government the
15:09
responsibility of educating young
15:13
persons the universal basic education
15:16
Act and the children are young persons
15:18
act vest upon the government the duty to
15:22
educate its younger ones section two of
15:25
the ubec ACT mandate the government to
15:28
provide education for its young persons
15:32
free compulsory education for all young
15:35
persons
15:37
unfortunately young Nigerians have been
15:39
arraigned in court today on the 10 count
15:41
charge of an attempt to overthrow and
15:44
overow the government of Nigeria they
15:47
have granted
15:49
Bill we will strive hard to meet the
15:52
bill conditions if we can the conditions
15:56
are quite neck breaking it is like
15:58
giving build with the right hand and Tak
16:00
him with the left hand we will strive
16:03
and make do our best to perfect these
16:05
conditions but if we cannot meet the
16:07
Bild conditions we will come back to the
16:09
court and seek for a varation because we
16:11
have shown that these are young persons
16:14
who are hungry the essence of the
16:16
protest of August 2nd is to end Hunger
16:19
in the land and we saw them in court
16:22
today looking quite manour the problem
16:24
persists but we will come back why
16:26
should
16:27
SM why why should they spend 93 days in
16:31
police custody when they should be in
16:33
school and the government The Government
16:36
Can AR The Government Can arrest 10 12
16:39
13 year old and keep them in custody for
16:43
93 days but the government the
16:45
government has not been able to arrest
16:46
the 6 months after is it not a
16:49
parody of some sort that we have two
16:51
separate country one country for the
16:53
rich one country for the poor our laws
16:56
are very clear is 48 48 Hours the police
17:02
the police are in breach of the
17:04
fundamental rights of these children so
17:06
we are not going to Del into the
17:08
substance of the issue which is already
17:09
before the court so that we will not
17:11
make remarks that Subud this but what we
17:13
are saying very simple yabo 6 months
17:17
later has not been arrested but you
17:20
arrest our children you keep them in
17:23
custody for 93 days these children they
17:26
they already looking like they have qu
17:28
they are malnourished you understand
17:30
then you cannot keep them in custody for
17:32
this long this is the reasons why our
17:35
our rating in the human rights index is
17:38
poor is bad you understand the T
17:40
government should discontinue the charge
17:43
we make a passionate appeal to the agf
17:46
you know bab that he should discontinue
17:49
the charge should take over the matter
17:51
and discontin against these children so
17:53
that the children so that the children
17:55
can return back to school and the
17:57
Attorney General of the Federation has
17:59
the inherent powers to take over this
18:02
matter under Section 174 of the
18:05
Constitution that bab should take over
18:07
this matter and discontinu the charge
18:09
against the children I I cried in open
18:12
court because of this grave Injustice
18:14
has been done to these kids
18:17
s bringing you the news in a more
18:20
Digital Way
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