Two of the protesters arraigned in court yesterday
BY NKECHI NAECHE– ESEZOBOR: The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file of #Endbadgovernace Protesters to his office.
The AGF also directed that the case file be handed over to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) today, Saturday, 2nd November, 2024.
He also asked the DPPF to immediately set machinery in motion for the court’s consideration of moving the adjournment date forward (to an earlier date).
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this via his official tweeter account also know as X account that the Federal Government certainly cares for all citizens as the attorney general requests the case file of protesters from police.
The statement reads further: “it has just come to my notice that the police have arraigned those arrested in connection with the end bad governance violent protest in court for various offences, including treason.
” My office will need to look into some issues regarding the matter so that I can make an informed decision. I am aware that the court has remanded the defendants in detention centres and adjourned the case to January.
“It is not within my power to vary the order of the court remanding the defendants in detention centres and adjourning the case to January. I have, however, directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file to my office and hand it over to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) tomorrow, Saturday, 2nd November, 2024. I have also directed the DPPF to immediately set machinery in motion for the court’s consideration of moving the adjournment date forward (to an earlier date).”
It would be recalled that chaos occured yesterday at the federal high court in Abuja, as several children, who reportedly participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests, collapsed while awaiting their arraignment.
As proceedings commenced, the visibly unwell and malnourished children were called to the front to enter their pleas. In a distressing turn of events, four children suddenly rushed out of the courtroom after collapsing. The presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu, was compelled to suspend the session until the order was restored.
When court resumed, the prosecution requested the removal of the names of the four ailing children from the charges, a request that was granted. The remaining defendants were subsequently arraigned.
A total of 76 defendants, arrested across Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano states, face charges including treason and various other offences. The nationwide protests against economic hardship and poor governance took place from August 1 to 10, with demonstrators calling for reduced governance costs, the reinstatement of petrol subsidies, food security, and greater fiscal discipline.
