President Bola Tinubu faces heavy criticism following the treason trial of over 70 minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests, with many Nigerians branding him a “brutal dictator.”
Public outrage erupted as images of malnourished minors—held in detention for over 90 days—surfaced online. Reports indicate that at least four of these minors collapsed in court on Friday, fueling further indignation.
Social media platforms were flooded with criticism, with many users calling out Mr. Tinubu’s administration for the alleged mistreatment of detained minors. A viral post by @FNwapa on X (formerly Twitter) denounced the president and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, saying, “A brutal dictator like @officialABAT, through his shameless NSA @NuhuRibadu, detained children for 90 days for simply participating in #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest. These children have been denied food, healthcare, causing them to faint in court today.”
Prominent activist Aisha Yesufu also condemned Mr. Tinubu, comparing his government to terrorist groups, calling it “illegal,” and accusing it of “competing with terrorists to abduct and starve children.”
Another X user, @Shehu_mahdi, highlighted the age range of the children—between 15 and 19—who were arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja, facing charges of treason for protesting against the president’s governance. “It is a shame that underage children of the poor are being treated like animals after destroying the means of livelihood of their parents,” he added.
Amnesty International also issued a statement condemning the treatment of minors, who it says were demanding basic rights. The organization noted, “The 114 protesters arraigned today at the Federal High Court, Abuja, have done nothing unlawful and do not deserve the horrifying treatment they have endured since their arrest. Among the 76 protesters arraigned in the first group today, the majority are minors, and the collapse of four in the courtroom underscores the poor state of their mental and physical health. Subjecting minors to such horrifying detention for demanding good governance reveals the government’s clear determination to crush dissent.”
The ongoing detention and trial of these minors are being viewed as further examples of alleged government abuse of power under Mr. Tinubu’s administration.
This incident follows the controversial detention of two Binance officials earlier in the year. In February, Tirgran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla were reportedly detained after being summoned by NSA Nuhu Ribadu, who accused Binance of facilitating currency speculation that harmed the naira’s stability. While Mr. Anjarwalla managed to leave Nigeria in March, Mr. Gambaryan was held for eight months before being released last week.
