The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has defended the decision to file treason charges against several minors who took part in the recent EndBadGovernance protest across the country.
According to Vanguard, the Attorney-General reaffirmed that no law in the country prohibits the prosecution of minors, and that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to discontinue the legal proceedings against the teenagers was motivated solely by compassionate considerations.
Fagbemi shared this statement during the inauguration of a new office in Abuja on Thursday, November 7. He emphasized that there is no legal restriction preventing minors from facing trial, and that suggestions for their involvement in a family court are misleading. The interpretation of both the law and the constitution suggests that the federal high court has the authority over matters related to treason and other similar issues, which is why the president has chosen to close this particular chapter by releasing the young men.
Presumably motivated by his role as a father and grandfather, President Tinubu’s decision to pursue his children and grandchildren, despite the evidence against them, was a personal one. This background of personal connection may explain his leniency in releasing the young men.
It will be recalled that the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier dismissed two separate treason charges against 119 individuals who had participated in a nationwide protest held between August 1 and August 10. This dismissal came after the Attorney-General, at the behest of President Tinubu, withdrew the original charges initiated by the Nigeria Police Force.
In the first of these cases, involving 32 minors as defendants in the case number FHC/CR/503/2024, which included 10 counts, and the second case FHC/CR/527/2024 with four counts and five minor defendants, the decision to end the legal process was made based on these considerations.
Other Articles
Zimbabwe pastor fakes armed robbery to cover up scam on congregation
EFCC arrests two in Abuja for alleged money laundering
