Nigerians on Friday reprimanded President Bola Tinubu led administration for arraigning malnourished children #endbadgovernance protesters before a federal high court in Abuja.
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Many took to X formerly known as Twitter and other platforms to launch full attack on the administration over the issue.
They expressed disappointment with the development, saying it is a shame that Nigerian authorities decided to charge poor, homeless, malnourished and out-of-school children to court for participating in #EndBadGovernance protest.
Some of their posts on the social media are captured below;
Atiku Abubakar wrote; “A disturbing video of malnourished children being arraigned before a Federal High Court on the orders of the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has been brought to my notice.
“The horrible scene reminiscent of a Nazi concentration camp once again reflects the low premium the current government places on the lives of the vulnerable, especially children.
“For emphasis, Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act guarantees dignity of the child.
“It states that, “Every child is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly, no child shall be ‐ (a) subjected to physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse, neglect or maltreatment, including sexual abuse; (b) subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
“The children are being prosecuted for their alleged role in the #EndBadGovernance protests, which took place between August 1 and August 10, 2024. If they are just being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the sort of dehumanizing conditions they had been subjected to and have been detained all for Nigeria’s democracy and had led protests now demonises those who decide to demonstrate against the effects of his harsh and draconian policies.
“Children who are the most affected by these policies have every right to protest peacefully, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act. A nation can be assessed by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens. It is saddening that even underage children are not spared from the wickedness of T Pain.
“The disturbing condition under which the alleged accused children were brought to court projects the very justification for their participation in the protest in the first place”.
Peter Obi, “I just watched the disturbing and condemnable scenes captured in a circulating video, showing 124 protesters—among them minors—appearing in court today as part of efforts to secure the enforcement of their fundamental rights.
“The footage reveals minors, some so weak that they could barely stand, others fainting from sheer exhaustion and lack of nourishment. These children appeared visibly malnourished and starved—a condition that should alarm the conscience of every citizen in our nation.
“From their look, they were poorly handled despite being in the custody of the federal government of Nigeria.
:The offense being alleged against these suspects, including minors, is protesting against bad governance that was directly affecting their livelihood and which our constitution under a democratic dispensation guarantees them. Curiously, most of the people in government today leveraged this aspect of the Constitution standing as champions of good governance while in opposition.
“Moreover, our status presumes that suspects deserve some dignity, even in a correctional home as human beings.
“The reason why we should all xnbe concerned about a situation like this is because we are part of a global community where human dignity should be respected.
“May I appreciate the presiding lordship for halting the trial and saving the country further embarrassment it would have been to the World as a democratic nation?
“I would like to call on relevant authorities, especially the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, the Police, and the DSS, as well as the National Human Rights Commission, to thoroughly investigate such inhuman treatment of minors to avert such incidents in the future”.
Inibehe Effiong; “The Tinubu regime is making a mockery of our criminal justice system. You expect the international community and investors to take Nigeria seriously, but you’re parading minors before a Federal High Court in the most dehumanizing conditions because they allegedly took part in protests. We cannot continue like this.
Festus Ogun; “It is a crying shame that Nigerian authorities decided to charge poor, homeless, malnourished and out-of-school children to court for “participating in #EndBadGovernance protest”. This is the mirror of a society whose soul is lost.
“Obviously malnourished, the children slumped on Friday morning in open court since the Nigerian authorities deliberately denied them of food after keeping them in unjust detention for months. How despicable?
“The persecution of children by the Bola Tinubu administration is unacceptable and constitutes a gross violation of human rights.
“There should not be an arraignment in the first place. These children should be enrolled to school and provided basic amenities. The criminals in power are those who should be behind bars; certainly not these innocent kids.
“For everyone involved in this gory experience, let them be reminded that the verdict of history beckons!
Gbadebo Rhodes ViVO; “When children advocating for better governance are met with state repression and torture, we cannot be surprised by the rise of non-state actors or the normalization of violence.
“How have we descended to a point where children are silenced behind prison walls? When did we become a society that has lost so much compassion that no one stopped to think how bad this looks?
“We owe these children a decent education and a path to prosperity, not harsh experiences in our prison cells”.
OlufemiAdegbulugbe; “It is with a heavy heart and a body filled with pain that i respond to the video clip of 73 teenagers arraigned before a court for the offence of rejecting hunger and charged with felony and treason.
“4 of the teenagers collapsed in court. All 73 have been detained for over 93 days.
“Even Nigerians that are of the opinion that the worst civilian regime is preferable to the best military regime, are horrified by this treatment of 73 malnourished minors by a civilian regime.
“Bola Ahmed Tinubu cowardly fled Nigeria when Sani Abacha wanted to jail him for treasons but today as President of Nigeria, malnourished minors who protested against bad governance of Bola Tinubu are being arraigned before the court.
“The minors wept and wailed in the court
A heartless judge Obiora Egwatu, dancing to the music of Government provided bail conditions that will guarantee that the minors remain in detention.
“N10m each, 2 sureties and a Grade 15 officer as bail condition for minors that are poor and hungry.
“Wicked Judge Obiora Egwatu, in applying the law, forgot to apply morality. Heartless Judge Egwatu forgot to apply humanity.
“I call on the Governors of the States of Origin of these minors, especially Kano State Gov Abba to step in and ensure the bail conditions are perfected. I call on all Nigerians of good conscience to stand with our children.
“While Bola Tinubu had the resources to run away from Nigeria under Abatcha, unfortunately the 73 Kano minors have no place to run to. I salute them.
“It is also a shame on the Nigeria Police Force and security agents who could only arrest minors between the ages of 12-15, from the mammoth and humongous crowd of adult protesters we saw from Aug 01-10.
“Our security agents run away at the sight of Boko Haram bandits but are very bold to arrest hungry minors. It is well!
“Even General Abatcha did not treat minors like this. General Babangida did not violate the rights of Nigerians to protest.
“I am convinced and i want you to be convinced that a civilian government can be worse than a military regime.
“We hope this is not the case under President Tinubu”.
