#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria demonstrations: Arrested protesters face trial as police proceed with prosecution

In the aftermath of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests, which took place from August 1-10, several state Police Commands across the country have commenced the prosecution of the arrested individuals across the country.

While the protests remained largely peaceful in the southern regions, they escalated into violence in the northern areas, resulting in loss of life, widespread destruction of property valued at billions of naira, and the imposition of curfews in at least five states.

The protests were sparked by widespread discontent over the soaring cost of living, exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies, soaring inflation rates (the highest in 28 years), and government economic policies that have driven the naira to an all-time low against the US dollar.

In Kano, 632 people were arrested for alleged property damage during the anti-hunger protests and have been scheduled to appear in court on August 19, after being remanded by a Kano State Mobile Court.

The protests led to the destruction and looting of various public and private facilities, including government buildings, a printing press, and several vehicles.

The Punch Newspaper also reported that 45 protesters, in Bauchi State, had been charged to court while the minors among those arrested would be counselled to avoid jeopardising their future of becoming better citizens.

The Niger State Police Command, on its part, disclosed that 23 protesters, who were arrested in the state, have been taken to the Niger State Criminal Investigation Department.

“All suspects were transferred to SCID Minna for further investigation and they will be arraigned in court for prosecution as soon as the ongoing investigation is concluded,” Abiodun Wasiu, the Niger command PPRO, stated.

He added that “the following items were recovered from the suspects: wooden bench/office chairs, car side mirror, extension wire, reflective jacket, ceiling fan, table calculator, laptop and generator, ceiling sheets and office television. The items were returned to the LGA secretariat.”

In the nation’s capital, Abuja, the police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) did not release an official tally of arrests made during the End Bad Governance protest, human rights group Amnesty International and civil society organization Enough is Enough reported that over 50 protesters were detained by security officials.

Nigeria is facing a multifaceted crisis, with rampant insecurity devastating the agricultural sector and armed groups abducting residents and schoolchildren for ransom in the northern parts.

While labour unions have led previous protests, the #Hunger demonstration was primarily driven by unemployed young people, presenting a new challenge for the government as it attempts to mitigate the effects of its economic policies.

In an effort to alleviate the hardship caused by these policies, President Tinubu recently signed a new minimum wage into law, but this measure may have limited impact, as a significant portion of the country’s 200 million population is either self-employed or without formal employment.