The Federal Government arraigned 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters before a federal high court in Abuja on Monday, charging them with treasonable felony and attempting to destabilize Nigeria. The defendants, who pleaded not guilty, were arrested in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, and Gombe and brought to court under tight security. They are accused of plotting to overthrow the government and face the death penalty if convicted.
The protesters, however, challenged the court order that permitted their arrest and detention, arguing that President Bola Tinubu had no right to arrest them. They claimed that their right to life, dignity, health, and freedom of movement had been violated by the police without justification.
In a separate suit, the protesters, led by Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo, challenged the August 22 court order that allowed their 60-day remand pending investigation. They argued that the motion ex-parte was based on suppressed and misrepresented facts, constituting a gross abuse of court process. They sought to vacate the remand order and obtain bail.
The defendants are Michael Tobiloba Adaramoye, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis, and Abdulsalam Zubairu. Human rights lawyer Femi Falana leads their legal team. The case highlights concerns about freedom of expression and assembly in Nigeria.
