Drop Sham Charges and End Treason Trial of #EndBadGovernance Activists

Treason Trial of #EndBadGovernance Activists at FHC Abuja on June 25

Tinubu Government Must Drop Charges and End the Sham Trial

Tomorrow, Wednesday June 25, Adaramoye Michael Lenin and 10 other activists are expected to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja for a treason trial as a result of their participation in the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests in August. We of the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) believe that what the activists are facing is a sham trial as protest against anti-poor policies is not tantamount to treason.

We therefore demand that the government withdraws the trumped-up charges preferred against these #EndBadGovernance protesters who are currently on bail with stringent conditions after having been incarcerated for at least two months both in the police custody and prisons. The other activists are Daniel Akande, Mosiu Sodeeq, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Eleojo Simeon, Angel Love Innocent (female), Buhari Lawal, Bashir Bello Nuradeen Khamis and Abdulsalam Zubairu.

We strongly believe that the government cannot prove the charges against the activists as they are ridiculous and frivolous. For instance, the police in their charge sheet state that the activists committed treason, which carries a death penalty, because they carried a placard with a message: “End Bad Government”. We believe that the inability to prove the charges is the reason the court did not seat in each of the previous three dates the trial had been scheduled, since November. Rather, the tactic of the government as part of its wider policy of criminalizing dissent is to tie the treason trial around the neck of the #EndBadGovernance activists in order to serve as deterrent to another mass protest against its anti-poor policies. So, even if the court sits it is likely for the trial to be unduly protracted by the government.

Therefore, we call on civil society organisations, human rights groups, socialist and left groups, trade unions, activists and individuals of good conscience, in Nigeria and internationally, to support the campaign and demand the dropping of charges against the eleven #EndBadGovernance activists on trial in Abuja, and others across the country on similar sham trials, in order to totally regain their freedom. It should be recalled that, in the first place, it was a strident campaign and solidarity actions, held both locally and internationally by different organisations and individuals that forced the court to grant the #EndBadGovernance activists bail and the government not to indicate a plan to appeal it. It was also a similar local and international outrage which forced the government to withdraw charges against the minors who were similarly and shamelessly put on a treason trial.

Lastly, we commend the working people and youths who are not cowed by the calculated threat, intimidation tactics and repressive actions of the Tinubu government and have continued to organize or join a series of protests, even after August, to demand the reversal of anti-poor policies and to resist attacks on democratic rights.

Francis Nwapa

National Secretary

Youth Rights Campaign (YRC)

0703 277 6665

Email: [email protected]