‘We Were Mixed With Criminals’ – Detained Minors Recount Ordeal In Custody

Some minors detained during the #EndBadGovernance protest have recounted their experiences while in custody in Abuja for two months.

Naija News reports that the minors narrated their harrowing experiences in an interview with Punch at the Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital in Kano upon their return on Tuesday night, revealing there were periods of isolation and enduring extended spells without food.

A 15-year-old detainee, Umar Ali, said he was arrested while on his way to the market for menial work, insisting he had no involvement in any protest.

He explained they often spent days without adequate food or sunlight, which impaired their vision.

Ali urged young people to avoid participating in any form of protest, noting that they endured severe treatment despite his lack of involvement.

He said, “We suffered greatly in detention. Sometimes we went up to three days without food, and when food was available, it was barely enough to sustain us.

“We rarely saw sunlight in our holding area, which is why some of us struggled to see clearly when we appeared in court.”

Another detainee, 16-year-old Ibrahim Aliyu Musa, revealed the trauma of being held alongside hardened criminals and frequently going without adequate food.

He said, “They served us beans in the morning, rice for lunch, and gabza for dinner. Gabza is a type of tuwo made from unwashed corn, known as ‘from sack to pot’ due to its crude preparation.” 

A 13-year-old boy detained in Gadon Kaya, Gwale Local Government Area, said he was wrongfully accused of waving the Russian flags, adding they were held alongside criminals.

He said, “I was arrested on August 15 and taken to Abuja the next day, where we were held at the Abattoir SARS facility, mixed with criminals.” 

The minors thanked Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for his intervention and cautioned other youths against actions that might endanger their futures.