Tinubu Bows To Pressure, Orders Release Of Arraigned Malnourished Minors

President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate release of all the minors detained for allegedly participating in #EndBadGovernance protests held in August.

This is coming after the outrage that trailed the arrest and arraignment of minors.

Osun Defender reports that 72 minors were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their participation in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests on Friday.

The defendants, who were accused of treason, among others, were arrested in places like Kaduna, Abuja, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano states. Some of them looked gaunt and poorly fed and collapsed in court.

The presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu, granted N10 million bail to 72 minors who were arraigned, a development that caused outrage among Nigerians.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Monday after the President swore in seven newly appointed ministers cleared by the Senate.

The minister said the President ordered the immediate release of the minors without prejudice to whatever legal processes that are ongoing.

He noted that the President 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 their smooth reunion with their parents or guardians wherever they are in the country.

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Tinubu also directed that a committee would be set up to be spearheaded by the humanitarian affairs ministry to look at all issues surrounding the arrest, detention, treatment, and finally, the release of the minors.