Rights group calls for release of children charged in Nigeria protests | Human Rights Issues

The scenes of Nigerian youths who fainted while in court in the capital, Abuja, have sparked outrage from politicians, civil society organizations.

The Nigerian government is under pressure to drop the charges against dozens of children as uproar erupts over the conditions of detention since they were arrested for allegedly taking part in protests against the high cost of living.

A total of 76 people, including 30 children, were brought to court on Friday and charged with 10 charges including sedition, destruction of property, public disturbance and sedition.

The children range in age from 14 to 17 years old, the Associated Press reported.

The scenes of Nigerian youths fainting while in court in the capital, Abuja, caused an outcry from politicians and civil society organizations. They have been in detention for three months following their arrest in August.

“This video shows children, some are so weak that they couldn’t even stand, others are fainting from exhaustion and lack of enough food,” said politician Peter Obi, who ran for the 2023 presidential election.

Amnesty International also condemned the “horrendous detention of children for participating in protests against hunger and corruption”, calling it “one of the most dangerous attempts to suppress freedom of association” to date.

The office of the Inspector General of Police in Nigeria denied that the detainees were ill-treated, saying that the defendants were given medical aid.

It said “age does not exempt people from facing legal consequences”.

On Friday, police spokesperson Muyiwa Ogunjobi told Nigerian television that “if you are over seven years old, you can be put” in court.

The minors have been granted bail, and their lawyers say the trial will begin in January.

On Sunday, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a human rights organization in Nigeria, called on President Bola Tinubu to use his “leadership position” to free the children “within the next 48 hours”.

“These children and other protesters have been arrested for peacefully exercising their human rights,” SERAP said in a statement posted on its website.

The organization also called on President Tinubu to order an investigation into “severe violations of the rights of children” and other protesters.

Nigerian news website Punch reported on Sunday that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi has “started” to drop the charges against the children.

Frustration over the cost of living crisis has led to several large-scale protests across the country in recent months.

In August, 20 people were shot and killed, and hundreds more were arrested in a protest demanding better opportunities and jobs for young people.