Former NNPP presidential candidate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has expressed deep shock over the arraignment of 67 minors by the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja court, who are accused of participating in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests.
The minors, who reportedly joined the “End Bad Governance” protest, are being prosecuted despite their evident need for basic necessities like adequate nutrition and medical care.
“These children, who are visibly malnourished and need medical attention, have been subjected to a cruel experience when they should be in school,” Kwankwaso stated. He stressed that arraigning such a large number of minors not only violates their human rights but also defies the principles of dignity and protection that they are entitled to under Nigerian and international law.
Kwankwaso criticized the strict conditions set for the minors’ release, noting that demanding a 10 million Naira bail and a Grade 15 civil servant as guarantor for teenagers is “absurd.” He emphasized that the Child’s Rights Act of 2003 explicitly safeguards children’s dignity and protects them from abuse, neglect, and harm.
“As leaders, we have a duty to protect the most vulnerable among us, especially children, women, the elderly, and the needy. The government should not be leading this type of violation,” Kwankwaso remarked.
Calling for an immediate review of the minors’ charges, he urged authorities to release the children so they can return to their families and pursue education. Kwankwaso also appealed to the Federal Government to prioritize addressing pressing national issues like banditry, kidnapping, Boko Haram, and economic hardships, rather than targeting vulnerable children.
