By Cross Udo, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to facilitate the immediate release of all the minors arrested and facing prosecution in court over their alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protest without prejudice to the law.
Tinubu also directed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to ensure the welfare of minors and their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians, wherever they are in the country.
Recall that 76 people were arrested in Kano and Kaduna and detained for hoisting the Russian flag during the #EndBadGovernance protest and were charged in court for attempting to overthrow the President.
But last week, 29 minors among those arrested were arraigned in court, and their arraignment has attracted condemnation both within and outside the country.
But briefing State House correspondents, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, flanked by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, said that the President had directed the AGF to ensure the release of the minors immediately.
*Wants disciplinary action against security agents found culpable in arrest
He also directed that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest, detention, and prosecution of the minors be investigated, and anyone found culpable would face appropriate disciplinary action.
The Minister said, “All of you are aware that in the last couple of days, there have been some very deep inquiries and commentaries about the fate of the situation regarding the minors that had been arrested by the Nigerian police and undergoing some legal processes. You saw what happened in the courtroom.
“And as a result of that, Mr. President, because of his profound commitment to democracy and the rule of law, and without prejudice also to whatever legal processes there are and on the other hand, on the human part of it, he has directed that some announcements be made.
“I recall that I had a short briefing with Mr President early this evening (yesterday), and he has directed the immediate release of all the minors that the Nigerian police have arrested.
“Without prejudice to whatever legal processes there are, the President has directed that all of them be released immediately.
“Second, the President has also directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to see to the welfare of those minors immediately and to ensure smooth reunions with their parents or guardians, wherever they are in the country.
“Number three, the President has directed that a committee be set up immediately by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. It is an Administrative Committee that looks at all issues surrounding the arrest, detention, treatment, and, finally, the release of these young minors.
“Fourthly, the President has also directed that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest and the legal processes will be investigated, and if there are any infractions found to have been committed by any official of the government, be him, a law enforcement agency, or whoever, to appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against them. So, to recap, the President has directed that these children, these minors, be released immediately. This is, of course, without prejudice to whatever legal processes there are.
“Of course, if you look at this issue, there is the legal side, but there is also the human angle, the humanitarian side. Mr. President has directed that whatever the circumstances are, let the minors be released.
“They can, of course, continue whatever processes there are, if indeed there are, as stipulated by our laws, but the minors, the President has directed that all of them be released.”
