The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently direct the Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Justice Ministry to secure the release of all detained #EndBadGovernance protesters, including 32 malnourished minors.
In a recent letter, SERAP emphasized that the protesters, particularly the children, are detained solely for their peaceful advocacy against economic hardship and government inefficiencies.
“These children should be in school, not languishing in detention,” SERAP’s Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare stated, highlighting the severe impact on their education, health, and basic human rights.
The group urged immediate medical care for the protesters, many of whom have reportedly suffered due to inadequate detention conditions.
SERAP also demanded an investigation into alleged abuses in custody, warning that if no action is taken within 48 days, they will pursue legal avenues to ensure accountability.
SERAP stressed that the government’s detention of these minors infringes on Nigeria’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Mandela Rules, which mandate humane treatment for detainees.
They warned that this crackdown on peaceful protest could stifle Nigerians’ freedom to voice grievances, potentially having a chilling effect on democratic engagement across the country.
