BREAKING: Nigeria’s Underage Detainees Facing Death Penalty Have Fallen Ill In Detention And Now Hospitalised In Abuja

The majority of underage children arraigned before an Abuja Federal High Court on Friday, November 1, are now ill after Nigerian Correctional Service officials rejected them at Kuje Prison.

SaharaReporters learnt that following their rejection at Kuje Prison, the malnourished minors were detained by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in a facility meant for adults at the Intelligence Response Team unit in the Apo area of the Federal Capital Territory.

The kids who were granted bail on stringent terms by Justice Obiora Egwuatu are 24 in number but about 20 of them have been hospitalized at an undisclosed hospital, according to sources.

“The malnourished underage detainees were rejected by Kuje Prison and the majority of them have fallen ill because the police kept them in facilities meant for adults. 

“Twenty of the underage detainees have hospitalized in Abuja after the police detained them in facilities for adults,” one of the sources said.

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Leaders of the Take It Back Movement said when they sent a delegation to provide them with food and clothes on Sunday, only six of them were available as the police said others were malnourished, sick and hospitalised.

The minors who have been detained for over 90 days, are facing treasonous charges for participating in the peaceful #EndBadGovernance protest that took place in August. 

This development has sparked widespread criticism against the government, led by President Bola Tinubu, with many condemning the prolonged detention and harsh treatment of minors. 

The protest was a response to the country's economic downturn, which has led to widespread hardship and frustration among citizens.

Human rights and advocacy groups across the country have accused President Tinubu of running a cruel, heinous and punitive government.

The groups said this in separate statements issued on Friday while condemning the continued detention and prosecution of the #EndBadGovernance protesters. 

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The groups demanded the unconditional release of all detained protesters, especially minors; immediate suspension of all exorbitant bail conditions granted to the protesters; transparent investigation into the maltreatment of underage detainees, including starvation, physical abuse, and psychological trauma at IRT and other detention centres, and an end to the criminalisation of protests and dissent voices in the country.

SaharaReporters reported on Friday night that the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had requested for the case file of the protesters, including underage children, some of whom collapsed in the courtroom. 

SaharaReporters earlier on Friday exclusively reported that President Tinubu had ordered the Minister of Justice, Fagbemi, to review the treasonable felony charges brought against the underage and malnourished children before the Federal High Court in Abuja, which has attracted national and global outrage. 

In a statement he personally signed on Friday evening, the AGF said, "It has just come to my notice that the police have arraigned those arrested in connection with the Endbad governance violent protest in court for various offences including treason.

"There are some issues my office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me take an informed decision. I am aware that the court has remanded the defendants in detention centres and adjourned the case to January.

"It is not within my power to vary the order of the court remanding the defendants in detention centres and adjourning the case to January. I have, however, directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the casefile to my office and hand over same to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) tomorrow, Saturday 2nd November, 2024.

"I have further directed the DPPF to immediately put machinery in motion for consideration of the court to bring the adjournment date forward (an earlier date)."