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Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has threatened to sue the Federal Government if the minors arrested and arraigned in connection with the recent hunger protests are not rehabilitated after their release.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria stated this on Tuesday while reviewing a book titled ‘Judiciary Terrorism’ by Richard Akinnola in Abuja.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Tuesday struck out the case against 119 protesters, following an application by the Attorney-General of the Federation to discontinue the FG’s case against the protesters.
At the court session on Tuesday, Abubakar prayed the court to allow the AGF take over the matter.
The development came after President Bola Tinubu on Monday ordered the release of all the minors held in custody in relation to the protest.
In his reaction, Falana said withdrawing the charges was not enough. He added that the government must rehabilitate them and send them back to school.
He said, “Just this morning before this programme began, I was in the courts here in Abuja, where 119 Nigerians, including twenty-nine minors, were brought to court. But the government was so ashamed that it couldn’t bring them into the courtroom, unlike last week.
“The government came to court this morning to withdraw the frivolous charges, so the young people have been freed.
“But as I told the court, it’s not enough to terminate this trial. These young people, who should have been in school during the protests, must be rehabilitated by the government. And we will ensure they are rehabilitated and sent to school.
“If the government fails, we will take the matter to court. It is the government’s responsibility, under the Child Rights Act, which has been adopted and enacted by all states of the Federation. Section 15 of this law stipulates that every child in Nigeria shall receive free and compulsory education from primary to secondary school.”
