In a recent court appearance involving young men detained after participating in the “End Bad Governance” protest, Federal Government counsel Rimazonte Ezekiel argued that the individuals in question are adults, dismissing claims that they were minors. ...READ THE FULL STORY FROM SOURCE ...READ THE FULL STORY FROM SOURCE
Ezekiel emphasized that most of the detainees are married men, asserting that there are no minors among them despite ongoing concerns raised by defense representatives.
This comes after a related incident where protesters, described as malnourished, reportedly collapsed in court, adding further scrutiny to the treatment and welfare of detainees arrested for their participation in political protests.
Ezekiel further expressed concerns about the intentions behind the protests, which included demonstrators waving Russian flags and allegedly calling for a military intervention to remove Nigerian leaders.
He argued that such actions threaten Nigeria’s democratic stability, pointing out the costs and efforts required to maintain democracy in the country. Ezekiel also defended Nigeria’s law enforcement and dismissed accusations from the defense counsel that the police were infringing on detainees’ rights.
This incident follows a previous controversy where malnourished young detainees, some allegedly minors, collapsed in court due to poor conditions, sparking public outcry about detainee treatment and judicial processes.
The legal team representing the detainees has questioned both the physical well-being of the defendants and the legitimacy of the charges against them, alleging that authorities may be overstating their ages and misrepresenting the nature of their protest activities.