Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has expressed strong disapproval of the recent detention of minors allegedly involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests, labeling the act “inhumane and unjust.” In a statement on Saturday, she urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to examine the detention order issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, which granted bail at ₦10 million to each of the 72 defendants, including several minors reported to be malnourished.
Judge Egwuatu’s ruling specified that each defendant must secure two sureties in the same amount, a condition Akpoti-Uduaghan argues is particularly burdensome for minors. She emphasized that detaining young individuals in medium-security facilities infringes upon their fundamental rights, calling for their trials to be moved to juvenile courts where their identities and privacy would be safeguarded.
In a direct appeal to the Controller of Prisons, Haliru Nababa, the senator highlighted the need to investigate the conditions under which these juveniles are held at Kuje Medium Security Custodian Centre. Akpoti-Uduaghan cited concerns over their health and unsuitable detention facilities, stressing that a facility like Kuje was not intended for minors and that alternatives like juvenile correctional centers should be utilized instead.
She called on the Federal Government to consider leniency for the detained youths, suggesting that they might have been influenced by adults into participating in the protests. “Children belong in school, not detention centers,” she stated, urging authorities to “temper justice with mercy” and prioritize the rehabilitation and proper education of these minors over punitive detention.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s statement has added to the mounting calls for a compassionate approach in handling young detainees, especially in cases involving national protests where, she argued, they may not have fully understood the repercussions of their involvement.
