In a significant legal development, activist and politician Omoyele Sowore criticised President Bola Tinubu after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a case involving 76 protesters from the End Bad Governance in Nigeria movement.
The case was withdrawn by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), following claims that some of the accused were minors.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu approved the withdrawal after a formal application by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, who represented the AGF, Lateef Fagbemi.
Using Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, Abubakar exercised the AGF’s authority to discontinue the case.
In response to the court’s decision, Sowore expressed his outrage on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), condemning the Federal Government’s abrupt acknowledgement of the age of the protesters.
“The ignoble Federal govt of Nigeria led by @officialABAT suddenly recognized the kids as ‘minors,’” Sowore wrote, calling the government’s actions “despicable.”
The protesters, who were detained in Kano and Kaduna for displaying Russian flags, were part of a broader movement challenging governance in Nigeria.
Sowore added a pointed critique aimed at northern states, stating, “We are yet to hear from the Munafukan Banzas in Kano, Sokoto, Borno, and Katsina when they will discontinue the unjust, inhuman, and wicked trials of EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters in their respective domains.”
The discontinuation of charges against the protesters marks a crucial moment in the ongoing dialogue around civil rights and governance accountability in Nigeria.