Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has condemned the recent detention of minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests, describing their treatment as “inhumane and unjust.” On Saturday, the senator called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to review the detention order issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court.
Justice Egwuatu had granted N10 million bail to 72 defendants, including minors reportedly suffering from malnutrition, for their alleged involvement in the nationwide protest. The court stipulated that each defendant must secure two sureties in the same amount.
Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed her concern about minors being held in a medium-security correctional facility, arguing that such detention violates their fundamental rights. She emphasized that juvenile offenders should be tried in juvenile courts and that their identities should remain confidential.
The senator further urged the Controller of Prisons, Haliru Nababa, to investigate the conditions at Kuje prisons, where the minors are reportedly held in poor conditions. She highlighted that the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre was not designed for juvenile detainees and recommended their transfer to appropriate juvenile facilities.
Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed to the Federal Government to “temper justice with mercy” by releasing the minors, whom she believes were likely coerced by adults into criminal acts. “Children should be in school, not in detention,” she added.
