The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has requested the case files of the minors accused of participating in the EndBadGovernance protest.
In a statement made available to the press on Friday night, Fagbemi directed the Nigeria Police Force to transfer the case files to his office by Saturday. Additionally, he instructed the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation to expedite the process of bringing the case forward from its current adjournment date in January.
Fagbemi’s intervention comes after the police arraigned 72 individuals, including minors, at the Federal High Court in Abuja for their involvement in the recent nationwide protest ¹. The defendants face a 10-count charge related to treason ¹. Notably, four minors collapsed in court before the charges could be read, leading to their exclusion from the trial.
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The AGF’s actions may be connected to the widespread criticism that followed the incident ¹. Fagbemi emphasized that his office needs to examine specific issues to make an informed decision regarding the trial ¹. However, he clarified that he cannot alter the court’s order to remand the protesters in detention centers.