Seventy-six #EndBadGovernance protesters, mostly minors, have arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja for their scheduled arraignment before Justice Obiora Egwuatu. The protesters appeared malnourished, with four of them rushed out of the courtroom due to their inability to stand. They were arrested and detained during the nationwide protests from August 1 to 10, sparked by widespread economic hardship [1).
The protests, which took place in various states including Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano, led to the arrest of the 76 protesters now facing charges of treason, among other offenses. Some of the protesters include Nura Ibrahim, 24; Abdulbasi Abdusalami, 34; Ahmed Yusuf, 25; Awolu Abdulahi, 21; Umar Musa, 15; and Muhammadu Mustapha, 16.
Previously, 10 leaders and organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protests were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, pleading not guilty to six count charges ¹. The charges included treason, destabilizing the country, intimidating the President, and destroying property.
Charges Against the Protesters:
- Treason: Accused of acting in concert to destabilize Nigeria
- Inciting Mutiny: Accused of inciting public disturbance and disaffection to the government
- Collaboration with Foreign Nationals: Accused of collaborating with Andrew Wynne, a British citizen, to destabilize Nigeria ¹
The case highlights the ongoing tensions between the government and protesters demanding change amidst economic hardship.
