Governors from Northern Nigeria and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) have called for the release of minors charged with treason following their participation in #EndBadGovernance protests held in Kano and Kaduna in early August. The Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, instructed the state’s Attorney General to pursue the release of the children, some of whom were reportedly detained in a malnourished state, sparking widespread outrage on social media.
The minors are part of a group of 76 protesters arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges against them, including alleged attempts to destabilize the government, have drawn criticism from various stakeholders, including prominent lawyers and civil society organizations, who argue that the treatment violates the Child Rights Act and international protocols regarding children’s rights.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed urged the North to unite in response to the incident, condemning the excessive bail conditions and highlighting the economic hardship faced by families of the detained minors. He, along with other Northern leaders, advocated for leniency and called for reforms in the juvenile justice system to protect the rights of minors.
Human rights groups, including the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Women Aid Collective Nigeria (WACOL), condemned the charges, asserting that juvenile detainees should be treated separately from adults and calling for immediate corrective actions, including medical care and compensation for the detainees. The ACF labeled the trial as “a sham,” demanding the unconditional release of the children and pledging continued support for citizens’ rights to peaceful protest.
