The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has said that no law in Nigeria prohibits the prosecution of minors.
Fagbemi stated this in Abuja on Thursday while briefing journalists regarding a recent court order to release about 114 #EndBadGovernance protesters (minors and adults) who the Nigeria Police Force had previously arraigned.
“Let me seize this opportunity to clarify something. We are under the impression that because they are children and minors (the arraigned #EndBadGovernance protesters), various theories have come up. There is no law in this country which says that a minor cannot be tried,” he stated.
According to the AGF, the minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protest were rightly arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest lasted from August 1-10. Some protesters were arrested and arraigned in different parts of the country.
The trial of the children drew condemnation from many, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Amnesty International, Peter Obi among others who described the situation as shameful.
Worried by the backlash, President Bola Tinubu on Monday directed the AGF to withdraw the charges against the minors.
The minister commended Tinubu for directing the Ministry of Justice to facilitate the immediate release of the children.
He described the President’s gesture as one taken out of compassion, despite the evidence at the disposal of security agencies.
“The study of the law and the constitution leaves you no other conclusion than that the federal high court has jurisdiction in matters bordering on treason and related issues. So, whatever the situation, the president has closed the chapter by his decision to have these young men released
“The president was very compassionate; he is a father and a grandfather. If you look at the facts in the possession of the security agency, you will marvel. But the president said, despite all this, ‘I have children, grandchildren,’ and that motivated his passion to release them and also enable them in some ways.
“So the credit goes to him for showing compassionate consideration in releasing the young chaps,” the minister added.
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