Kano State government under the leadership of Abba Kabir Yusuf has officially withdrawn criminal charges against the #EndBadGovernance protesters who were arrested during the August 2024 protest after interventions from Citizens’ Gavel.
The protesters were previously accused of conspiracy to commit treason, unlawful assembly, public disturbance, and rioting during the nationwide demonstrations.
The protests, sparked by economic hardship and rising inflation, turned violent in some northern states, including Kano, where both public and private properties were vandalized.
Tensions escalated further as some protesters were seen waving Russian flags in cities like Kaduna, Kano, and Plateau.
Amnesty International reported that the protests led to the deaths of at least 24 individuals across the country and the arrest of 1,200 others.
In November 2024, Citizens’ Gavel, a civic tech organization focused on justice reform, filed a petition urging the Kano State Attorney General to end the prosecution of 13 detained protesters.
The organization cited their harsh detention conditions in the Kurmawa and Goron Dutse Correctional Centres.
On Tuesday, Citizens’ Gavel announced that the Attorney General, through the Director of Public Prosecution, had ordered the withdrawal of charges.
“After over 160 days of unlawful detention and tireless efforts of our legal team, we are happy to share that the Honourable Attorney General of Kano State, through the Director of Public Prosecution, has officially ordered the discontinuance and withdrawal of all criminal charges against all #EndBadGovernance protesters detained in Kano State,” the organisation said.
