In a significant legal victory for the protesters involved in the #EndBadGovernance movement, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in favor of the demonstrators on Tuesday, dismissing all charges against the 119 individuals who had been accused of participating in the protests.
The 119 protesters were initially charged on November 1 with serious criminal offenses, including treason, sedition, and inciting mutiny against President Tinubu.
At the initial arraignment, the protesters were divided into two groups, with 76 individuals, including 32 minors, facing charges in the first group, and 43 protesters charged in the second group.
During Tuesday’s hearing, M. D Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, representing the Attorney General of the Federation, informed Justice Egwuatu that the Federal Government had decided to assume control of the case and discontinue all charges.
Abubakar, citing the authority granted by the Nigerian Constitution, informed the court that the Attorney General of the Federation intended to exercise his constitutional power to assume jurisdiction over the case.
He said, “We have an application to take over the matter and to discontinue same under section 174 of the constitution”
The request by the Attorney General of the Federation to take over the case was unopposed by the defense counsel.
Femi Falana (SAN) said, “We have no objection to the application because it is per the letter and spirit of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act as well as several provisions of the Child Rights Act.
“The AGF has the power to take over the case at any stage and exercise his discretion to discontinue the suit.”
With the consent of both the defense counsel and the court, the Attorney General’s application to assume control of the case was granted. Following this, the AGF, drawing upon the same constitutional provisions, moved to discontinue the trial of all 119 accused protesters.
Despite the absence of the accused protesters in the courtroom, Justice Egwuatu issued an order for their prompt release from prison.
The release of the protesters was reportedly prompted by President Tinubu’s directive to the AGF on Monday, calling for the immediate discharge of all defendants.
He further directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to provide immediate assistance to the welfare of the minors among the protesters, with the aim of reuniting them with their families across the country. Additionally, he mandated the creation of a committee to be led by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, with the purpose of investigating the events surrounding the arrest, detention, treatment, and release of the minors.
This development came in the wake of widespread public outcry and condemnation over the prosecution of the protesters, which included minors.
In August, widespread public dissatisfaction with the deteriorating economic conditions and subpar governance in the country sparked a nationwide protest under the banner of #EndBadGovernance. The demonstrations, which continued from August 1st to 10th, were met with a heavy-handed response from the authorities, with protesters being subjected to tear gas, arrest, and even gunfire, leading to injuries and arrests among the demonstrators.
