#EndBadGovernance: Atiku berates Tinubu’s administration over detention of minors 

Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in the 2023 general election has berated the Tinubu’s administration over the detention of minors for #EndBadGovernance protests

Atiku made the condemnation following the disturbing video of the collapse of one of the malnourished children as they were being arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.

Atiku described the video as ” reminiscing the horrible scene of a Nazi concentration camp”. He stated that this ” once again reflects the low premium the current government places on the lives of the vulnerable, especially children.

“For emphasis, Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act guarantees the dignity of the child. It states that “Every child is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly, no child shall be ‐  (a) subjected to physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse, neglect or maltreatment, including sexual abuse; (b) subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The children are being prosecuted for their alleged role in the #EndBadGovernance protests, which took place between August 1 and August 10, 2024.

According to the former Vice President, “If they are just being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the sort of dehumanizing conditions they had been subjected to and have been detained all this while.

“I find it reprehensible that a man who claims to have fought for Nigeria’s democracy and had led protests now demonises those who decide to demonstrate against the effects of his harsh and draconian policies.

“Children who are the most affected by these policies have every right to protest peacefully as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act. A nation can be assessed by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens. It is saddening that even underage children are not spared from the wickedness of T Pain.

“The disturbing condition under which the alleged accused children were brought to court projects the very justification for their participation in the protest in the first place,” he said.