The Federal Government has postponed the arraignment of Michael Lenin and other leaders of the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The arraignment, initially scheduled for Monday, August 19, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, has been rescheduled to Friday, August 23.
The postponement came amid heightened security measures, with a large contingent of security personnel deployed to the court complex on Monday. Despite the heavy presence of law enforcement, the court session did not proceed as planned.
Confirming the postponement, human rights activist and Convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, Omoyele Sowore, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share updates on the situation. Sowore noted, “Upon finding no charges to prefer against these #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria activists detained at the #IRT @PoliceNG dungeon in Abuja, Nigerian government prosecutors have shifted their arraignment to Friday, August 23, 2024.”
The delay has sparked further attention to the case with many awaiting the government’s next move in the case against the detained activists.
LEADERSHIP reports that tension escalated across the country onAugust 1, 2024 when the #EndBadGovernance protests began in nearly all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja took a violent turn as hoodlums exploited the situation to loot public and private properties. In response to the unrest, state governments in Kano, Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Nasarawa, and Jigawa, among others, imposed curfews in volatile local government areas (LGAs).
Amnesty International reported several deaths, while the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, confirmed the murder of a policeman, injuries to other officers, and the burning of police stations.
The demonstrators were protesting against severe economic hardships, exacerbated by the government’s removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows. Protesters are demanding the restoration of petrol subsidies, a reformed forex regime, and measures to address food shortages, unemployment, and governmental wastefulness. Additionally, they are calling for immediate reforms of the electoral commission INEC and the anti-graft agency EFCC, alongside a renewed effort to combat political corruption.
LEADERSHIP also reports that Micheal Lenin was arrested at his residence in Apo some days into the protests.
