CDHR Goes Tough With Government
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, has gone tough with the federal government over the detention and arraignment of minors in court.
This is contained in a statement jointly signed by Comrade Debo Adeniran, National President CDHR Nigeria and Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka, National Publicity Secretary CDHR Nigeria.
The statement, titled CONDEMNS THE DETENTION AND ARRAIGNMENT OF MINORS OVER ENDBADGOVERNANCE PROTEST, CALLS FOR UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF THE 76 INMATES and made available to OpenLife, is reproduced below
The Abuja Court arraigned 76 EndBadGovernance protesters, including 32 minors today, 1st November, 2024.
The protesters were alleged to attempt to overthrow President Tinubu’s government. CDHR gathered that 13 of the arraigned protesters were brought to court from IRT cells while others were brought from cells scattered around other Abuja divisions.
Many of the protesters who were minor fainted and slumped during the court session. The presiding judge was reported to flee the courtroom due to the incident.
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights had earlier cautioned the police and the judiciary to release all EndBadGovernance protesters unconditionally.
The organisation is using this medium again to call on the federal government to release the 76 protesters arraigned in Abuja Court today, including the 32 minors, as continuous detention will amount to suppression of dissenting voices.
CDHR also demands immediate investigation into illegal detention of the 32 minors by the NJC as the unlawful detention was a gross violation of fundamental human rights of the children and brought all perpetrators to justice.
The federal government should be ashamed for detaining minors and other protesters who are exercising their constitutional rights.
Street protest is one of the ways of calling attention of the government in al civilised societies.
The minor among them should have been released the very day they were arrested or detained in juvenile homes instead of using regular cell where hardening criminals can influence them negatively.
CDHR, therefore, demands for unconditional release of the minors and other EndBadGovernance protesters currently facing trials.
Also, special medical attention should be given to them aa well as rehabilitations to affected people.
CDHR, however, calls on Nigerians not to be discouraged in the face of the continued increase in costs of living.
The #EndBadGovernance protests were justified and the right step to call the government to order.
E-Signed:
Comrade Debo Adeniran,
National President CDHR Nigeria.
Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka,
National Publicity Secretary CDHR Nigeria.
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