Nigeria's Vice President, Kashim Shettima, is set to preside over a ceremony in Abuja today, where he will hand over custody of minors detained over the #EndBadGovernance protests to governors from their respective northern states. The event marks a significant step three months after these children were taken into custody under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The handover follows a directive from President Tinubu, who recently instructed the release of underage detainees arraigned at the Abuja Federal High Court on November 1, 2024. This order came in response to national and international criticism regarding the minors’ detention and charges, which included accusations of treason and the threat of the death penalty.
Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, was instrumental in facilitating the release, completing necessary legal formalities to ensure all minors held in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests would be freed. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, confirmed the development in an emergency briefing at Aso Rock Villa, where he relayed President Tinubu’s directive to correspondents.
Today’s ceremony, set to take place after the minors’ release from court, will see Vice President Shettima formally return each child to their respective governors in a symbolic and "elaborate" handover event. This gesture reflects the administration's attempt to address public outcry and the concerns raised by activists, community leaders, and international observers regarding the treatment of young protesters.
