— Orders probe of security agents over their arrest, prosecution
By Egena Sunday Ode
In a sudden turn of events, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Lateef Fagbeni to facilitate the immediate release of all the minors arrested and facing prosecution over their alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests.
He said, however, that the directive to set the minors free is without without prejudice to the ongoing court processes.
Tinubu also directed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to see the welfare of the minors and to ensure their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians, wherever they are in the country.
Recall that 76 people were arrested in Kano and Kaduna and detained for hoisting the Russian flag during the #EndBadGovernance protest and were charged to court for attempting to overthrow the President.
Last week, however, 29 minors among those arrested were arraigned in court which has attracted deepening condemnation both within and outside the country.
Briefing newsmen on the trending issue , Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, flanked by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, said that the President has directed the AGF to immediately facilitate the release of the minors.
According to the minister, President Tinubu also directed that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest, detention and prosecution of the minors be investigated and anyone found culpable, would face appropriate disciplinary action.
Idris: “All of you are aware that in the last couple of days, there have been some very deep inquiries and commentaries about the fate or the situation regarding the minors that had been arrested by the Nigerian police and undergoing some legal processes.
“You saw what happened in the courtroom. And as a result of that, Mr. President, because of his very deep commitment to democracy and the rule of law, and without prejudice also to whatever legal processes there are and on the other hand, on the human part of it, he has directed that some announcements be made.
“I recall that I had short briefing with Mr President early this evening (yesterday), and he has directed the immediate release of all the minors that have been arrested by the Nigerian police.
“Without prejudice to whatever legal processes there are, the President has directed that all of them be released immediately.
“Second, the President has also directed the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, to immediately see to the welfare of those minors, and also take part to ensure that there are smooth reunion with their parents or guardians, wherever they are in the country.
“Number three, the President has directed that a committee will be set up immediately to be headed by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. It is actually an Administrative Committee to look at all issues surrounding the arrest, detention, the treatment, and finally, the release of these young minors.
“Fourthly, the President has also directed that all the law enforcement agents involved in the arrest and the legal processes will be investigated,
and if there are any infractions found to have been committed by any official of government, be him, a law enforcement agency, or whoever, tappropriate disciplinary action will be taken against him or her.
“So to recap, the President has directed that these children, these minors be
released immediately. This is, of course, without prejudice to whatever legal processes there are.
“Of course, if you look at this issue, there is the legal side of it, but there is also the human angle, the humanitarian side of it. Mr. President has directed that whatever the circumstances are, let the minors be released.
“They can of course, continue whatever processes there are, if indeed there are,
as stipulated by our laws, but the minors, the President has directed that all of them be released.”
