The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has condemned the detention and maltreatment of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests.
The organization expressed deep concern following reports that several detained children, out of which there were minors of age range of less than 15, as some of the detained minors was said to have collapsed due to malnutrition inside a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The minors are said to have been held since August by the Nigerian police after participating in protests against worsening insecurity and deprivation in the country.
In a statement signed by CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the organization called on First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to intervene, urging her to see these young detainees as “her own children.
”CISLAC appealed to President Bola Tinubu to halt these actions by government officials, including the Minister of Justice, and to immediately order the release of the minors.
“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,” said the statement.
The organization further urged international bodies like UNICEF, the World Food Organization, the World Health Organization, and Save the Children Foundation to join in condemning the incident and pressuring the Nigerian government for an unconditional release.
“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,” it stated.
