The Federal Government on Monday arraigned ten #EndBadGovernance protesters before a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of treasonable felony, an offense that carries the death penalty. The protesters were arrested in various cities, including Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe, and brought to court under tight security.
The defendants, who are accused of attempting to “destabilize Nigeria,” include Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye (aka Lenin), Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi (aka Yomi), Suleiman Yakubu, Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello (aka Murtala), Nuradeen Khamis, and Abdulsalam Zubairu. All ten pleaded not guilty to the six charges filed against them before Justice Emeka Nwite.
The protesters challenged their arrest and detention, arguing that the President, Bola Tinubu, had no right to arrest them for exercising their right to protest. They referred to a Federal High Court order issued on August 22, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite, which permitted the Inspector General of Police to remand them for 60 days pending the investigation’s conclusion.
In their suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1233/2024, the protesters, through an affidavit sworn by one Paul Ochayi, maintained that protest is a fundamental right, citing that President Tinubu himself had led protests in the past without facing harassment or detention. They argued that their rights to life, dignity, health, and freedom of movement had been violated by the police without justification.
Led by human rights lawyer Femi Falana, the defendants, along with 48 others, filed a motion on notice on August 26, challenging the legality of their remand. They argued that the court order was based on a suppression and misrepresentation of material facts, constituting a gross abuse of the judicial process. They have asked the court to set aside the ex-parte order that approved their 60-day remand and to grant them bail.
