Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has vowed to facilitate the return of minors from the State who were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja for arson, treason and other offences.
The 76 suspects, who are largely minors, were arrested during the August #EndBadGovernance protests in some parts of the country following destruction of public property, attack of Policemen on duty and chanting anti-government songs, among others.
During the arraignment of the suspects in court on Friday, about five of the minors collapsed, apparently because of exhaustion following weeks of detention without trial.
Reacting to the spectacle in a statement shared on his Facebook page on Friday, Governor Yusuf expressed his concern over the situation. “My attention has been drawn to the appearance of teenagers (some believed to be from Kano) in court today in Abuja. The Commissioner of Justice has been instructed to act immediately on the issue. We shall do everything possible to get them back to Kano, in sha Allah,” the governor wrote.
LEADERSHIP reports that the incident unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the trial of several #EndBadGovernance protesters was disrupted after about five young defendants collapsed during the court proceedings. The court session, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, was abruptly suspended.
The defendants were part of a group of 76 individuals arrested in a series of coordinated police operations across Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, and three other states. The arrests were made in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests that took place in August. The minors, alongside others arrested were accused of burning police stations, a High Court complex, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) ICT Park in Kano.
The defendants are set to answer a 10-count charge, including allegations of committing treason under sections 96 and 97 of the Penal Code.
The case has attracted widespread attention, with civil society groups and legal advocates expressing concern over the treatment of the young protesters, especially in light of reports of minors slumping in court.
