The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has issued a strong condemnation over the detention and reported maltreatment of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The organisation expressed deep concern following reports that several detained children, some under the age of 15, collapsed due to malnutrition inside a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The minors have been held since August by the Nigerian police after participating in protests against worsening insecurity and deprivation in the country.
In a statement signed Friday by CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the organisation called on First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to intervene, urging her to see these young detainees as “her own children.”
CISLAC appealed to President Bola Tinubu to halt these actions by government officials, including the Minister of Justice, and to immediately order the release of the minors.
“It is disturbing and damaging to Nigeria’s global image to witness such treatment of young citizens who were only exercising their constitutional rights,” Rafsanjani stated.
“The inhumane detention and maltreatment of these children must end. Anyone responsible for detaining these minors unjustly is the true criminal here, and this incident warrants urgent intervention.”
Images and videos from the courtroom, circulating widely on social media, depict the harrowing scenes of some minors lying on the floor as lawyers and others tried to revive them.
The incident occurred when the minors were brought to court from various police detention cells, where reports claim they were denied adequate food and medical care.
Sources allege that the prolonged detention and harsh conditions were intended to punish the minors, who have been accused of fighting the government despite the absence of credible evidence.
CISLAC called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take immediate action, advocating for the rights of the detained minors.
It also urged international bodies like UNICEF, the World Food Organisation, the World Health Organization, and Save the Children Foundation to join in condemning the incident and pressuring the Nigerian government for an unconditional release.
Rafsajani said: “Detaining these children under such appalling conditions is unconscionable,
“We are appealing to all responsible authorities to ensure their swift release and hold accountable those who orchestrated their detention. This incident stands as a dark stain on our national commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights.”
The minors were initially detained following a police order, which cited alleged involvement in a supposed plot to destabilise the government.
However, CISLAC and other rights groups argue that their detention violates both national and international human rights standards.