ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, on Tuesday demanded the compensation of the minors involved in the recent #EndBadGovernance protests held nationwide.
The 30 minors released on Tuesday, were part of the 76 people who were charged with treason and inciting a military coup after they were seen waving Russian flags in demonstrations against economic hardship in August.
On Monday, President Bola Tinubu directed the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure the immediate release of the minors detained by the Nigeria Police. Their release comes 76 days after they were arrested by the Nigerian government.
A day after their release, Effiong described their arrest and incarceration of the children as an abominations.
“It is an abomination, these children must be properly compensated,” the lawyer said on Lunchtime Politics.
“The President must now make it clear that under his administration, no more attack on peaceful protesters, no more attack on journalists, no more attack on democracy.
“Those who go to court and get orders, those orders must be respected. You must make it clear to the Inspector General of Police that this will no longer be tolerated and charges against all other protesters in the country should be dropped.”
Killing Of Shiites
During the interview, the lawyer criticised the former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai for his alleged role in the killing of over 300 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), popularly known as Shiite.
In December 2015, 347 Shiite members of the sect and the army clashed in the Zaria when the latter blocked a major highway during one of its religious processions, in the process blocking access to Buratai, who was attending the passing out parade of the army depot.
Nine years later, Effiong demanded that the former army chief be held responsible for his actions.
He argued that rather than the Nigerian government ordering Buratai’s probe, he was given an ambassadorial appointment.
“The killing of the Shiites, will today, the killing of over 300 IMN members in Kaduna State, no member of the armed forces have been put on trial.
“Buratai who supervised that massacre, is he not an ambassador? The Kaduna State government panel found that no less than 300 members of the Shiites were shot for blocking the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff,” he added.
