The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given Bola Tinubu 48-hour ultimatum to release the ‘hungry, malnourished children’ and other #EndBadGovernance protesters from arbitrary detention, or face legal action.
SERAP disclosed this in an open letter dated 2 November 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, urging Tinubu to use his “leadership position and good office to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN to take urgent steps to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of all the #EndBadGovernance protesters.”
The statement read in part, “These children and other protesters are detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights.
“We urge the Tinubu to direct Mr Fagbemi and appropriate law enforcement agencies to promptly investigate the circumstances surrounding the grave violations of the human rights of the children and other protesters in detention and to identify and bring to justice those responsible, and ensure justice and remedies for the victims.
“To direct Mr Fagbemi and appropriate agencies to ensure the immediate access to medical treatment for all the protesters including the 32 hungry malnourished children for their apparently deteriorating health.”
“Bringing charges against children and detaining them simply for the peaceful exercise of their human rights is clearly not acting in the ‘best interests of the child’.
“The detention of the 32 hungry and malnourished children also infringes their right to education. These children ought to be in school, and not languishing in detention.
“The apparent ill-treatment of the protesters including the 32 hungry and malnourished children have shined a light on the appalling conditions in Nigeria’s prisons which continue to put lives at risk.”
The letter also copied to Dr. Matthew Gillett, the Chair-Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention explained that “The continuing arbitrary detention of the protesters creates a climate of fear, discouraging other citizens from freely exercising their human rights, leading to a broader chilling effect.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
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