President Bola Tinubu-led government on Monday arraigned 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for treason, a crime punishable by death in Nigerian law.
The 10 protesters, Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Eleojo Simon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis and Abdulsalam Zubairu, all appeared in court on Monday.
The Tinubu-led government accused them of felony and treason in a six-count charge filed with number FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024 by Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.
The first count in the charge sheet seen by Peoples Gazette accused the protesters of “acting in concert and with intent to destabilise Nigeria, conspired together to commit Felony to wit: Treason and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 96 and punishable under section 97 of the Penal Code.”
Other charges include public disturbance and a plot to overthrow the Tinubu-led government and destabilise the country.
This comes about three weeks after citizen-led nationwide protests over economic hardship under Mr Tinubu’s government.
The 10-day protests saw Nigerian security operatives unleash violence on demonstrators, killing at least 23 and arresting hundreds, according to Amnesty International.
Nigerian police denied killing any protesters despite footage showing them open live rounds on protesters.
Amnesty International condemned the Tinubu-led government over the treason charge, describing it as an attempt to silence citizens.
“Some of the charges to be filed against the protesters, ranging from treason, which carries the death penalty and allegations of ‘plans to destabilise Nigeria,’ show how far the Nigerian authorities can go in manipulating the criminal justice system to silence critical voices,” the human rights organisation said in a statement on Monday.
Activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, also lashed out at Mr Tinubu-led government, calling the trial a sham.
“The sham trial of #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria activists has commenced as expected; the federal government, through the Attorney General Of the Federation, files bogus treason charges (without any iota evidence) and gets a federal judge to take the case; the judge sits and hears these lengthy, often repetitive charges, and knows that lawyers would ask for the ball but adjourns claiming he can’t accept bail applications orally. Innocent people are trucked to a nearby prison,” Mr Sowore tweeted on Monday.
