By JK NewsMedia
HUMAN RIGHTS and civic organisations are calling on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the immediate release and clearing of charges against 11 protesters facing trial in Abuja, months after the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.
This call is led by the Initiative Against Human Right Abuse and Torture (INAHURAT) in a statement issued on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
The group, widely known as the Abuja 11, was among at least 76 people arrested and arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja between 1 and 5 November 2024.
Charges against the protesters ranged from treason and public disturbance to mutiny and property damage, sparking fierce criticism from legal experts and rights advocates who insist the protests were peaceful.
Among those arrested were minors, several of whom collapsed in court from hunger, prompting outrage after video footage went viral.
Some were reportedly detained without food for days, leading to condemnation from both local and international observers.
At some point, President Tinubu had given directive on some of the malnourished detainees by ordering the immediate release of all minors and also urged the Attorney-General and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to ensure they were rehabilitated and reunited with their families.
But while the minors have since been freed, the Abuja 11 remain entangled in legal proceedings, despite calls from senior lawyers including Femi Falana, SAN, and Chief Maxwell Opara, who insist the protesters acted within their rights under the Nigerian Constitution.
However, months later, the civic groups are now demanding full compliance, adding that the federal government has no justification to continue prosecuting peaceful demonstrators, especially in light of the president’s humanitarian directive.
“It is time to file a nolle prosequi and put an end to this legal persecution. The Abuja 11 deserve justice too,” said Comrade Gerald O. Katchy, National Coordinator, INAHURAT, speaking on behalf of a coalition of concerned groups.
“We are also calling for a transparent investigation into the treatment of detained protesters, especially minors, by security agencies,” he reiterated.
Speaking on why it matters that the protesters are released, the Advocates say dropping the charges now would strengthen democratic values, rebuild public trust in the judiciary, and acknowledge the economic hardship and hunger that triggered the protests in the first place.
“This is not just about law and order, it’s about human dignity. We welcome the president’s empathy for detained minors and urge him to extend the same justice to all peaceful protesters,” Katchy added.
The protest movement, which began in August 2024 under the banner #EndBadGovernance, gained momentum across multiple cities as Nigerians, especially youth, took to the streets over spiralling living costs, joblessness, and insecurity.
The coalition of rights groups also vowed to keep pressing for legal relief for the Abuja 11 and others still facing charges.
They further insist the government must send a clear message that peaceful protest is not a crime, and that the rule of law – not fear – will define Nigeria’s democratic journey.
