News EditorA Nigerian court has freed 119 individuals, including minors, after the government dropped charges against them related to deadly protests in August over economic hardship. The accused had faced serious charges, including treason and inciting a military coup, some of which carried the death penalty.
The protesters were arraigned in two groups last Friday—76 in one batch and 43 in the other—before the charges were dropped. On Monday, President Bola Tinubu ordered the release of all minors detained during the anti-government protests and the dropping of charges against them.
“The case has been struck out, and the 119 protesters have been released,” Deji Adeyanju, the counsel for the protesters, confirmed to Reuters. “Now we are asking for their rehabilitation and compensation by their various state governments.”
The Nigerian Attorney General assumed control of the case from the police and made the decision to drop the charges after advancing the case, which was initially scheduled to be heard in January.
