The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is considering dropping the treason charges against 32 minors currently facing legal proceedings in Abuja. The minors were arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, but following the arraignment, Fagbemi expressed his intention to review the case.
In a statement released late Friday, the Attorney General indicated his plans to take over the matter from the Inspector General of Police (IGP). “There are some issues my office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me to make an informed decision,” he stated.
While clarifying that it isn’t within his authority to alter the court’s order, which has remanded the minors in detention centers with a scheduled adjournment until January 2025, Fagbemi has directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file to his office. The file is to be handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation by Saturday, November 2, 2024.
A source within the Federal Ministry of Justice confirmed that the police have complied with the request, and preparations are underway to expedite the process of dropping charges against the defendants. It is anticipated that the court will reconvene earlier than the previously set date of January 24, 2025.
Marshall Abubakar, the defense attorney representing all 119 defendants, stated that negotiations to dismiss the charges are progressing well. “The government has been in contact, and I believe we will likely see the charges thrown out this week,” Abubakar said.
The minors, part of a group of protesters, are currently held at a unit of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), lacking proper juvenile detention facilities. Abubakar expressed concern about the conditions in which the minors are being kept, revealing there is no functional Borstal Centre, leading to them being housed in a large hall.
Sources familiar with the situation noted that the Attorney General’s office plans to file an urgent application with the court on Monday, potentially leading to a hearing on the matter as soon as Tuesday, with hopes of discontinuing the case.
Concerns have also been raised by human rights activist Deji Adeyanju regarding the whereabouts of two minors who were arrested but missing from the arraignment. “It took considerable effort for us to ensure the children were brought to court, yet two were inexplicably not present,” he remarked, urging the Attorney General to take action.
Additionally, several other protesters were unable to stand trial due to illness, leading to their names being struck from the charge sheet. Despite this, police have reportedly refused to release these individuals back into care.
The Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria, along with organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protest in Lagos, condemned recent statements from the IGP regarding the minors fainting during court proceedings. Ahmad Ashir, NCMN National Secretary, described the IGP’s assertions as “utterly unacceptable,” emphasizing the need for compassion and adequate medical care for the affected children.
Hassan Soweto, representing the #EndBadGovernance organizers, echoed these sentiments, demanding the immediate release of the children and expressing dismay over the insensitive remarks made by authorities regarding the children’s distress.
