#EndBadGovernance: Solidarity Protest in Lagos Calls for Dropping of Charges against Protesters and End to Sham Trials

Friday November 8 saw the #EndBadGovernance Movement, Lagos State Chapter, hold a protest march in solidarity with those on criminal trial and in detention in connection with the nationwide protest held between August 1 and August 8 over mass hunger and economic hardship. Nearly 100 protesters, including members of the Movement, Womanifesto – a coalition of women groups, CEEHOPE and community and civil society activists and lawyers, participated in the action which was ended with the submission of a petition to Chief Justice of Nigeria through the Chief Judge of Lagos State.

The protest march demanded the immediate withdrawal of trumped-up charges levelled against Adaramoye Michael Lenin and others on trial nationwide and immediate release of #EndBadGovernance protesters still held in detention.

Hundreds of protesters, including minors, were arrested during the August protests across the country following a fierce clampdown by the Bola Tinubu government which also recorded about 40 deaths. For instance, Michael Lenin, National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) and a member of Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM), was arrested in Abuja in the wee hours of August 5, along with Mosiu Sodeeq, on the order of Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Bola Tinubu. He was locked up for 59 days.

Recently, global outrage that followed the November 1 arraignment of minors forced the Tinubu government to withdraw charges against 119 detainees, including 32 children, who had spent close to 100 days in unlawful detention.

However, apart from these 119 detainees, there are still, across the country, hundreds in detention or on trial on trumped-up charges, including treason which carries death penalty, for merely protesting against hunger and hardship caused by the anti-poor capitalist policies of Tinubu government. Therefore, though Adaramoye Michael Lenin and 10 others are currently out of prison, having met stringent bail conditions, they still face a charge of treason, something which means that it is not yet a total freedom for them. Also, a few days after the withdrawal of charges against minors in Abuja, 19 protesters including three minors, were put on trial in Borno State and returned to prison custody. The Borno minors were unlucky as their arraignment did not enjoy a spotlight of social media, unlike their Abuja counterpart.

The solidarity action was scheduled for November 8 to coincide with the commencement of trial of Michael and 10 others at Federal High Court Abuja. A similar action was held today at the Nigerian High Commission in London, UK, the Nigerian Embassy in Berlin, Germany, and in a few other countries. However, the court did no longer sit as scheduled as the trial judge is on vacation.

November 8 solidary protest outside the Nigerian High Commission in London

At any rate, the campaign for dropping of the charges and an end to the sham trial must be sustained. The fact that Michael Lenin and 10 others face similar charges as the 119 defendants whose matter has been discharged does not mean the former will enjoy the same reprieve. The Tinubu government wants to hang on their neck the frivolous charge of treason despite not having any proof in an attempt to make it as a deterrent to resistance and protest against its anti-poor capitalist policies.

By and large, the demands of the protest march which are also contained in the petition include:

• Withdrawal of charges and discontinuation of case against Adaramoye Michael Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq, Daniel Akande, Angel Love Innocent, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Buhari Lawal, Bashir Bello, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaoluwa Eleojo Simon, Nuradeen Khamis and Abdulsalam Zubairu.
• Withdrawal of charges against the 19 defendants, including minors, charged before Justice Aisha Mohammed Ali at State High Court 10 in Maiduguri, Borno State.
• Release of all peaceful protesters still in detention nationwide.
• A public apology by the Federal Government to all protesters arrested, detained and subjected to such malicious trial.
• An adequate compensation to all protesters arrested and detained.
• Immediate psycho-social evaluation and support for the 32 child-protesters whose detention and trial were carried out in crude violation of the Child Rights Acts and international conventions protecting the right of Children.
• The immediate sack of the Inspector General of Police and sanction for all government and security officials involved in violating the rights of peaceful protesters including minors through illegal arrest, torture while in detention as well as malicious prosecution on trumped up charges.

Other demands include reversal of anti-poor capitalist policies and an end to attacks on democratic rights. Members of the DSM who played a central role in the protest sold 25 copies of our paper, Socialist Democracy.