The Federal Government is set to arraign organizers of the recent hunger protest today, Monday, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, filed a six-count charge against the defendants, including a British citizen, Andrew Wynne.
The defendants are accused of treason, destabilizing the country, intimidating the President, and destroying property. The IG alleged that they acted in concert to commit a felony, to wit: treason, between July 1 and August 4, 2024.
The #EndBadGoveranceInNigeria protests, which took place from August 1 to 10, were in response to economic hardship. According to human rights lawyer Femi Falana, 2,111 individuals were arrested during the protests, with 1,403 remanded in prisons due to lack of legal representation.
The National Coordinator of Take It Back, Juwon Sanyaolu, confirmed that the defendants would be arraigned today, represented by Femi Falana. Mass trials of other protesters in Kano and Abuja are also set to commence.
Activists have petitioned the International Criminal Court and the US Embassy, seeking the release of detained protesters. They condemned the government’s actions, stating that protesters are not enemies of the country.
The activists expressed solidarity with the protesters’ demands for jobs, lower prices, and an end to austerity measures imposed by the IMF and World Bank. They called on the government to drop the charges, release detainees, and provide legal representation.
