DSS releases Six(6)#EndBadGovernance protesters
Thousands of mostly young people poured onto the streets across Nigeria on Thursday as they protested against the country’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. Security forces fired tear gas to disperse some of the protesters in the capital, Abuja. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)
…125 still in detention —Deji Adeyanju
By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA—The Department of State Service, DSS, this weekend, released two #EndBadGovernance protesters, who have been in detention in Kaduna.
At press time, there are no fewer than 125 protesters still in detention, including 38 remanded by Justice Emeka Nwite, in Abuja.
Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the 38 detained protesters would appear before Justice Nwite for further hearing on their bail.
The 125 detained protesters have been in custody for over 62 days.
Meanwhile, Mr. Deji Adeyanju, counsel to the protesters, in an exclusive chat with Vanguard, yesterday, expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in the judicial process.
According to Adeyanju, authorities claimed to have filed charges, “but our team has yet to receive any documents.”
He stated that the development highlights the inconsistencies in the handling of protest-related cases nationwide, though most of the 873 protesters arrested in Kano have been released, due to collaborative efforts by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.
Adeyanju added that efforts are ongoing in Sokoto, as two protesters have been released in the North-West region, recently.
Nationwide, over 1,000 protesters were arrested.
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Considering the releases in Kano (873) and Sokoto, as well as Kaduna (two), about 125 protesters are likely still in custody, including the 38 in Abuja and 10 facing treason charges.
Adeyanju said: “We are currently working on the cases of about 38 or 39 #EndBadGovernance protesters, who have been remanded by Justice Nwite in Abuja for 62 days.
“Their remand is set to end today (Monday). The authorities claim to have filed charges against many others, but we have not been served any documents up to this point. That’s the main challenge we have.
“In Kano, most of the 873 protesters have been released because we have been collaborating with the NBA on this matter. In Sokoto, we have made some progress as well.
“However, I am not entirely sure about the situation in other states, but I can look into it and provide you with an update in the next few days.”
The #EndBadGovernance protests were staged by Nigerians over the worsening economic hardship and growing hunger across the land.
The protests, however, turned violent in some states, resulting in casualties and arrests across the country.
