Over 1,400 Nigerian youths who participated in the recent 10-day #EndBadGovernance protests are reportedly languishing in police custody across the country.
These revelations came to light following statements made by one of the lawyers representing the detained protesters, Mr. Deji Adeyanju.
Adeyanju, speaking to Vanguard yesterday, disclosed that many of the protesters are being held at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Abuja, as well as in facilities in Kano, Kaduna, and other locations nationwide.
“Many of the protesters in Abuja are (being held) in the Intelligence Response Team, IRT; Bombai in Kano, and Kaduna Police commands, and other parts of the country,” he said.
Protesters Fed Once Daily
The lawyer further revealed that the detained protesters are being fed just once a day, a situation he described as a “local arrangement” with the police.
“For now, the majority of the protesters feed once a day from what we have heard. This is just a local arrangement with the Police,” Adeyanju stated.
Delayed Arraignment
In a disturbing turn of events, Adeyanju pointed out that the police have repeatedly refused to arraign the protesters before a Federal High Court in Abuja, despite promises to do so.
“We told them (the Police) to avail us the charge on Monday, which they said they would but they didn’t.
We told them to avail us of the charge today (yesterday, Tuesday), but they have refused. Can protesting be an offence?” he questioned.
According to Adeyanju, the exact number of detained protesters is unclear, but it is estimated that no fewer than 1,400 individuals have been arrested and detained across the country.
In Abuja alone, he said, about 50 people were arrested, with 27 released so far. “It is assumed that 30 or more people are still in custody,” he added.
Families Struggle to See Loved Ones
Adeyanju also highlighted the difficulties faced by family members trying to see their detained relatives.
“Three days ago, some of the family members were allowed to see the protesters. And even today (yesterday, Tuesday), when we were at IRT in Abuja, we saw some of the family members of the protesters at the facility,” he recounted.
However, the process is fraught with bureaucratic hurdles, and even lawyers have been denied access to the detainees.
Activists Detained Without Charges
Among those still in custody are three prominent activists: Adaramoye Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq, and Eleojo Opaluwa.
Despite being held for over two weeks, they have yet to be arraigned, with their court appearance postponed to August 23.
Civil society organizations have condemned the government’s actions, accusing it of attempting to suppress dissent and violating the protesters’ rights.
Dr. Zikirullahi Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), voiced his concerns about the detainees’ well-being, saying,
“We hope that a good number of the detained protesters are still alive. If they are, we wonder why the government is delaying their day in court. These are citizens of Nigeria.”
He further criticized the government for its treatment of ordinary citizens.
“Of course, we know that in this country, if you’re not a politician, the child of a top security chief, or a wealthy individual, you are treated as a nobody, and that’s why our laws seem lopsided in dealing with consequences,” Dr. Ibrahim lamented.
Adeyanju echoed these sentiments, accusing the authorities of deliberately prolonging the detention of the protesters.
“The reason they do not want to arraign the protesters is because they know that protesting is not a crime.
They just want to perpetually keep the protesters in custody unjustly, and this action stands condemned,” he declared.
