The minors, who had been detained in custody for several weeks, showed visible signs of ill health, and their condition reportedly deteriorated during the court proceedings, prompting immediate medical intervention.
The Nigerian government temporarily withdrew charges against five minors facing trial over their involvement in #EndBadGovernance protests after they collapsed in the courtroom.
The minors, who had been detained in custody for several weeks, showed visible signs of ill health, and their condition reportedly deteriorated during the court proceedings, prompting immediate medical intervention.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as harrowing, with some lawyers rushing to assist the youths, who slumped after being asked to enter the dock.
Following the incident, the prosecution requested for the temporary withdrawal of the charges.
This was granted by the court, which noted that the minors would be re-arraigned after their recovery.
Earlier, the media reported that five underage #EndBadGovernance protesters detained by the Nigeria Police Force since August had slumped in inside the courtroom in Abuja.
The incident occurred when the minors were brought to court from various detention cells of the police force, including from the Intelligence Response Team unit.
“A couple of them fainted inside the courtroom because of maltreatment, they have not eaten for some days,” a source told SaharaReporters, accusing the authorities of weaponising hunger to torture the protesters for committing no offence other than exercising their constitutional rights.
The protest was against exacerbating insecurity and deprivation occasioned by President Bola Tinubu’s policies.
One of the malnourished minors first slumped before four others also collapsed on the floor of the courtroom.
The court was thrown into confusion when the defendants who were mainly minors were asked to enter the dock.
Some lawyers and court officials hurriedly revived the minors before they were rushed to the hospital. The situation temporarily halted the court proceedings.
Following the incident, the prosecution requested to temporarily withdraw the charges against them on health grounds in line with Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
The defence counsel, Abubakar Marshal, insisted that the minors should be handed over to their parents.
The Network of Abuja Left Groups on Thursday called for the immediate and unconditional release of 76 protesters, including 32 minors, who were arrested during the #EndBadGovernance demonstrations in August.
The coalition lamented that the protesters have been languishing in prison custody for months. It condemned President Tinubu’s administration for its suppression of dissenting voices.
Calling on Nigerians not be discouraged in the face of the continued increase in cost of living, the group justified the #EndBadGovernance protests, describing the movement as a united and peaceful action by the Nigerian people, across all ethnic groups, religions and partisan divide, against the acute economic distress and systemic failures that affect hundreds of millions of Nigerians daily.
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