Rimazonte Ezekiel, counsel for the Federal Government, has dismissed claims that some suspects arraigned last Friday in connection with the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests are minors.
According to the report, Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted ₦10 million bail to 67 out of the 76 individuals arraigned for participating in the protest, which drew attention nationwide. During the court session, tension heightened as a 15-year-old boy among the accused collapsed, leading courtroom staff and lawyers to rush him to the clinic.
Speaking to reporters after the bail ruling, Ezekiel refuted allegations that the defendants included minors, clarifying that they are all adults, many of whom are married men and university graduates. The defendants are facing charges of conspiracy to commit felony and treason.
The protests, which took place in Kaduna and Zaria, called for an end to bad governance. Ezekiel asserted that some demonstrators were seen waving foreign flags, which he argued signaled attempts to destabilize the nation.
“These boys brought to court today are all adults. Many are married men, and some are university graduates. The young ones you see here are merely visitors brought by their parents to show support,” Ezekiel stated. “The real suspects, all adults, were apprehended in Kaduna and Zaria.”
He expressed concern over what he described as a destabilizing agenda among young Nigerians. “These individuals are waving foreign, even Russian, flags and calling for undemocratic changes, including the removal of governors and our president. We have worked hard to sustain democracy, and actions like these are a direct threat.”
Ezekiel also responded to defense counsel claims, insisting, “The defense will say anything to paint the Nigerian police in a negative light. We brought forward all 43 defendants charged in my case, and each is an adult. The narrative that minors are involved is simply untrue.”
The detention and prosecution of the suspects have sparked widespread debate, with many Nigerians expressing shock and concern over the developments.
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