Abuja, Nigeria— Twenty-four underage detainees, who are facing death penalty charges after participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests, have reportedly fallen ill and been hospitalized in Abuja. The group was rejected by the Nigerian Correctional Service at Kuje Prison due to their malnourished condition and was instead placed in an adult detention facility operated by the Nigeria Police Force’s Intelligence Response Team in Abuja’s Apo area.
According to sources, approximately 20 of these minors are now hospitalized, suffering from malnutrition and other health complications. The minors had been granted bail under stringent conditions by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Abuja Federal High Court, but due to their deteriorating health, only six remain in police custody.
The young protesters have been in detention for over 90 days, awaiting trial on charges of treason following the August protests over Nigeria’s economic hardships. Reports of their condition have sparked outrage, with human rights groups condemning their treatment and calling for the immediate release of all detained protesters, particularly minors.
In response to the public outcry, Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has ordered a review of the charges, directing the case file to be submitted for further examination by the Director of Public Prosecution. President Bola Tinubu has also been urged by rights advocates to address the alleged abuses against these minors as criticism mounts over the government’s handling of peaceful protesters.
Human rights organizations have demanded an independent investigation into the conditions faced by the detained minors and called for an end to the criminalization of protests in Nigeria.
