*Argues State Govts Should Handle #EndBadGovernance Riot Offenses, Not FG

A Prominent Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) J.B. Daudu has strongly criticized the Federal Government’s decision to charge malnourished children with treason in Abuja on November 1, 2024.

In a statement released following the arraignment proceedings at the Federal High Court, Daudu argued that the charges were inappropriate and a misuse of the federal justice system.

Daudu emphasized that the alleged offenses committed by the children during the #EndBadGovernance riots should have been handled by the respective State Governments where the incidents occurred.

He suggested that the appropriate charges for their actions could include ‘conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace,’ ‘unlawful assembly,’ ‘willful destruction of public property,’ ‘theft,’ and ‘affray,’ all of which are bailable offenses under State jurisdiction.

The senior lawyer questioned the Attorney General of the Federation’s authority to charge the young men for offenses committed within the territory of their respective States, describing it as a “complete caricature of the Federalism that we claim to operate in Nigeria.”

He also criticized the State Governments for abdicating their responsibilities and allowing the Federal Government to infringe upon the rights of their citizens.

Daudu further highlighted the inhumane treatment of the defendants, who have spent over three months in deplorable detention conditions, violating their fundamental rights. He argued that even if they were found guilty of the alleged offenses, the maximum sentences should have been reasonable fines or imprisonment not exceeding three months in a correctional facility or borstal institution.

Calling for the discontinuation of the treason charges and the release of all those charged with State offenses, Daudu demanded adequate rehabilitative compensation for the accused.

He also called for an inquiry into the responsibility of those who had custody of the young men during their three-month incarceration, questioning the use of funds allocated for their care and whether any deaths occurred in custody.

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