The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urgently appealed to President Bola Tinubu for the immediate release of individuals detained for their participation in the #EndBadGovernance protests, including 32 malnourished children allegedly held under inhumane conditions for peacefully expressing their views.
In a letter dated November 2, signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged the president to direct the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and relevant agencies to promptly release all detained protesters, investigate the circumstances of their arrest, and bring those responsible for the detentions to justice.
"Detaining children for exercising their rights is a clear violation of the 'best interests of the child,'" Oluwadare emphasized, adding, "These children belong in schools, not in detention centres."
The letter condemned the severe conditions under which the children are reportedly held, with many suffering from malnutrition and poor health.
According to SERAP, the case highlights the broader issues of inadequate care within Nigerian prisons.
Recently, four young protesters reportedly collapsed in court due to exhaustion, drawing further attention to the poor healthcare available to detainees.
SERAP’s letter, also addressed to Dr Matthew Gillett, Chair-Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, warned of a “climate of fear” stemming from these arbitrary detentions.
"Such actions discourage Nigerians from exercising their right to free expression and peaceful assembly," it said.
The organization demanded a government response within 48 days, suggesting that failure to act could prompt legal action in the public interest.
"Nigerian authorities are weaponizing the criminal justice system to curtail citizens' rights to liberty, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly," SERAP asserted.
Reports indicate that 76 protesters, including 32 children, were detained during nationwide protests in August, held in Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano.
Protesters have reportedly been held without adequate food, medical care, or legal recourse, facing charges of treason, inciting mutiny, and destabilization — even though the protests were largely peaceful and focused on economic grievances, such as rising costs of living, fuel subsidy removal, and calls for food security.
SERAP reminded the government of Nigeria's obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Child Rights Act, emphasizing that children should only be detained as a last resort and for the shortest possible time.
The organization also referenced the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), which mandate humane treatment for detainees, including proper nutrition and healthcare.
SERAP stressed that these standards have been seriously compromised in the case of the detained protesters and children.
The protests, which were motivated by economic hardship and calls for governance reform, were met with mass arrests instead of dialogue.
SERAP condemned this response, arguing that "these arbitrary detentions weaponize the justice system against those advocating for better governance and a higher quality of life," calling for justice and accountability for those unlawfully detained.
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