A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the charges against 119 protesters including minors arrested during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the case following an application from M.D. Abubakar, counsel for the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), to take over and discontinue the matter.
The protesters, who were initially arraigned on Friday, 1 November, faced charges including treason. felony and incitement to mutiny, among others.
During Tuesday’s session, Abubakar, representing the AGF Lateef Fagbemi, invoked the AGF’s constitutional power under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to assume control of the case from the Inspector-General of Police. He then moved to discontinue the trial of all 119 individuals.
With no objections from the defence lawyers representing the accused, Justice Egwuatu granted the request and formally dismissed the charges.
The decision comes shortly after President Bola Tinubu directed the AGF and law enforcement agencies to release all minors detained in connection with the protest.
President Tinubu, on Monday, bowed to mounting international and local pressure to release the minors clamped in detention for more than three months.
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