On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed treason charges against several minors involved in the August #EndBadGovernance protests, following a Federal Government request to withdraw the case.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu ordered the dismissal after Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, representing the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, moved the application to discontinue the case. Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), cited Sections 174(1)(b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, as legal grounds for the dismissal. He stated that the AGF had taken over the case file and decided to drop charges against the minors.
To protect the children’s privacy, the DPPF requested that proceedings proceed without the minors present in the courtroom, in line with Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Child’s Rights Act. The defence counsel, including Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, did not contest the application, and Justice Egwuatu dismissed the charges accordingly.
Earlier, Justice Egwuatu had granted bail to 114 adult protesters involved in the same protest, setting terms of N10 million each and two sureties. This decision followed the defence’s application for bail and the prosecution’s submissions. Out of a total of 119 defendants initially listed, only 114 were arraigned as five minors were unwell. During proceedings, some defendants collapsed in court, prompting the judge to pause the trial temporarily.
The court has now adjourned the cases of adult defendants, with trial set to begin on January 24, 2025. Additionally, on Monday, President Bola Tinubu directed the AGF to ensure the immediate release of all minors involved in the case.
