Arrested #EndBadGovernance protesters have been charged to court over charges including treasonable felony and a “plan to destabilise Nigeria.”
The accused are said to have committed the treasonous offense during a week-long nationwide protest that held in states across the country, including the FCT.
Amnesty International Nigeria, has condemned the mass trial of #EndBadGovernance protesters.
In a statement on its X platform on Monday, AI said: “Amnesty International condemns the sham trial of the protesters even before it began, and calls for an end to these endless bizarre attempts to deprive people of the right to peaceful protest. The unfair trial is only a disguised exercise solely aimed at punishing dissenters.
“Some of the charges to be filed against the protesters, ranging from treason, which carries the death penalty and allegations of ‘plans to destabilize Nigeria,’ show how far the Nigerian authorities can go in manipulating the criminal justice system to silence critical voices.
“The Nigerian government has been wrongfully placing priority on punishing protesters, without saying even a word on the urgent need to impartially investigate the killing of dozens of protesters across Kano, Katsina, Suleja/Tafa, Jigawa and Maiduguri.
These attempts by President Bola Tinubu’s government to charge those who protested widespread poverty and rampant corruption with treason is beyond absurd and baseless”.
The court also fixed September 11 for trial and ruling on bail application by the protesters.
The 10 persons who were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite are Michael Adaramoye also known as Lenin, Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaoluwa Simon, and Angel Innocent.
Others are Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis, and Abdulsalam Zubairu.
The defendants, who all pleaded not guilty, were arraigned on six counts of alleged treason, intent to destabilise Nigeria, conspiracy to commit felony and inciting to mutiny which is an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.
