The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has voiced strong disapproval over the detention and alleged mistreatment of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria. The organization expressed deep concern following reports of several minors, some as young as 15, collapsing from malnutrition during a court appearance at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The detained children, held since August by the Nigerian police, were part of demonstrations against escalating insecurity and economic hardship in the country. CISLAC, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, called on First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to intervene, urging her to view the detained minors as “her own children” and press for their immediate release.
“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 widely shared on social media have depicted distressing scenes of minors lying on the courtroom floor, as onlookers attempted to revive them. Reports suggest the children, brought from various police cells to the court, were denied sufficient food and medical attention, with sources alleging that the harsh conditions were intended as punishment for their participation in anti-government protests.
CISLAC has called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take immediate action to advocate for the detained minors’ rights. Furthermore, the organization has urged international bodies, including UNICEF, the World Food Program, the World Health Organization, and Save the Children Foundation, to condemn the incident and apply pressure on the Nigerian government for an unconditional release of the minors.
“Detaining these children under such appalling conditions is unconscionable,” Rafsanjani emphasized. “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 allegations by authorities of involvement in a plot to destabilize the government. However, CISLAC and other rights organizations argue that the prolonged detention violates both national and international human rights standards.