Senator Shehu Sani has appealed to the Federal Government to release the minors charged with terrorism and treason in connection with the August #EndBadGovernance protests.
On Friday, the Federal High Court granted bail to a total of 76 defendants including at least 28 minors aged below 18. They were brought to court from detention.
Apart from four of them, whose trial were suspended after they slumped in court on Friday, all the other defendants denied the 10 counts of treason, terrorism, treasonable felony and arson preferred against them by the Nigerian police.
Those adjudged to be adults among them were granted bail in stringent terms.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu granted bail of N10 million bond and one surety to each of the adults. The surety to be presented by each of them must be at least a level 15 civil servant with verifiable address in Abuja.
For the underage defendants, the judge ordered, they only require their “parents or guardians” to stand as their sureties.
The judge subsequently ordered the remand of the adults in the Kuje Correctional Services and the minors in the Bostal Homes pending when they fulfill their bail conditions.
The court then adjourned until 24 January for trial.
Sani appealed to the government to release the minors, stating that it was shameful for Nigeria’s democracy.
“The arrangement of those minors for their participation in protest is most unfortunate and shameful for our country’s democracy. The FG should withdraw the charges against them and return them back to their states,” he wrote.
“What is going to be achieved with the months of detention and arraignment of these poor children, all of whom are at the ages of our children and grandchildren? I appeal to the FG to set them free.”
In another post, he called on the Senate and the House of Representatives to secure an “immediate and unconditional release” of the minors.
