Hunger Protest: Trial Of 1,135 Detained Demonstrators Starts Today

The prosecution of arrested protesters during the 10-day #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria nationwide protest has commenced.

While the protests were relatively peaceful in the South, it turned violent in the North with several lives lost, property worth billions of naira destroyed, leading to the declaration of curfew in no fewer than five states.

The protests, which held from August 1-10, was against the rising cost of living, which has been fueled by fuel subsidy removal, surging inflation at a 28-year high and government economic policies that pushed the naira to a record low against the dollar.

At least 17 persons were reportedly killed in Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna and Jigawa, and several others injured on the opening day of the protest with Amnesty International condemning the use of deadly action against the protesters and accusing the security operatives of killing at least 21 protesters.

Police arrested protesters, some of whom waved the Russian flag, in Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Katsina, Yobe, Bauchi, Borno and Jigawa as the demonstrations assumed a violent dimension, announcing that they would be duly prosecuted.

Findings show that at least 1,135 arrested persons during the protest would be charged to court beginning from Monday (today).

On Sunday, the Yobe State Command said it would arraign 108 persons, who were arrested for various offences, including violating the imposed curfew during the hunger protest.

DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, Police Public Relations Officer, Yobe Command, stated that the apprehended suspects would be brought before the court to face charges related to their alleged involvements in the protests.

Many of the accused individuals, who were first arraigned August 8, denied the charges against them, setting the stage for further legal proceedings on Monday (today), Abdulkarim added.

“Monday, August 12, 2024 has been earmarked for the continuation of the case, where those facing charges will have the opportunity to either accept or contest the allegations.

“Should they choose to accept the charges, they will undergo a summary trial presided over by a judge at the Magistrate Court in Damaturu, Yobe State.”

In Kano, a total of 632 persons arrested for alleged destruction of property during the anti-hunger protest in the state and were remanded by a Kano State Mobile Court since last Tuesday will appear in court on August 19, The PUNCH learnt.

Several public and private facilities, including the Kano State Printing Press, Nigerian Communications Commission, Kano State High Court and a number of vehicles parked within the premises were vandalised and looted.

Popular supermarket in the city, Barakat Stores, was among the worst hit with a reported loss of over N5bn to the hoodlums.

The arrested persons were charged with criminal conspiracy, theft, unlawful assembly, inciting disturbance, trespass and mischief by fire.

A mobile court, which sat at the premises of the Kano Police Command Headquarters at Bompai, was presided over by three senior judicial officers, Senior Magistrate Ibrahim Yola, Senior Magistrate Hadiza Bello and Chief Magistrate Abba Dandago respectively.

After the remand order, the court adjourned sitting until August 19 for hearing.

Earlier, the state’s Director Public Prosecution, Salisu Tahir, had informed the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences on August 1, the opening day of the protest.

He alleged that on the same date the defendants, during the protest,  trespassed and vandalised government and public property in the state.

“The defendants broke into people’s shops and looted their goods,” the DPP told the court.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened the provision of sections 97, 287, 229, 336, 349 and 247 of the Penal Code.

While some of the defendants pleaded guilty, others pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After the court sitting, the state Attorney General and commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, told journalists that the State Government set up three mobile courts within the premises of the State Police Command to prosecute the defendants.because of their large number.

In Gombe, 14 protesters out of the 111 suspects arrested were freed on Saturday 14 by a special court presided over by the Gombe State Chief Judge Justice Halima Mohammed.

ADVERTISEMENT

The freed protesters, who were charged for unlawful assembly and other crimes, were initially arraigned within the Gombe Medium Custodial Centre on Friday but subsequently released on grounds of ill health and being underage.

Defence counsel Saidu Muazu-Kumo confirmed this to one of our correspondents on Sunday.

The 97 others still in custody will appear in court on Tuesday and Thursday, Muazu-Kumo stated.

In the same vein, the Kaduna State Police Command announced that 25 protesters arrested on the first day of the protest, who were remanded in a correctional centre in the state, would be charged to court along with an additional 39 others, including the tailor who allegedly sewed the Russian flag, after investigations were completed within the week.