#ENDBADGOVERNANCE: ONE YEAR OF TREASON TRIAL
WE DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE AND UNCONDITIONAL DROPPING OF ALL CHARGES ON MICHAEL LENIN, AND OTHER ENDBADGOVERNANCE PROTESTERS
WE REITERATE OUR CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF SEVEN UNJUSTLY CONVICTED ENDBADGOVERNANCE PROTESTERS IN BORNO AND ALL PROTESTERS STILL IN PRISON
WE DEMAND JUSTICE FOR ALL NIGERIANS KILLED AND INJURED DURING THE ENDBADGOVERNANCE PROTEST
WORKING PEOPLE AND YOUTH MUST UNITE AGAINST ATTACKS ON DEMOCRATIC AND ANTI-POOR POLICIES OF THE TINUBU FAILED GOVERNMENT
Today, September 2, 2025, marks exactly a year since the Tinubu government arraigned Adaramoye Michael Lenin and nine other Endbadgovernance protesters over their role in the Endbadgovernance protest, which took place between August 1 and 10, 2024. Michael Lenin- National Coordinator of YRC, Mosiu Sodiq, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Adeyemi Abayomi, Eleojo Opaluwa, Nurudeen Khamis, Bashir Bello, Suleiman Yakubu and Abdulsalam Zubairu were detained for weeks at a notorious detention centre of the Police in FCT Abuja, popularly known as Abattoir.
False and outrageous charges were levelled against them, including treason, terrorism, and mutiny, among others. Consequently, they were remanded in prison and were only granted bail on stringent conditions after 9 days. In fact, most of them had to spend about a month in jail because they couldn’t meet the bail conditions easily. Importantly, they were re-arraigned on September 17, 2024, with another detained protester, Daniel Akande, added to the defendants.
The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) uses this opportunity to demand the immediate dropping of these nefarious and false charges against Endbadgovernance protesters. After a year, the prosecutors have not provided any evidence to support their claims of treason, terrorism, etc. In fact, the case has suffered several adjournments. This delay tactic is to ensure the charges of treason and terrorism continue to be hung around the necks of these activists; this is inline with the antics of the Tinubu government to criminalize dissent. We also call on civil society organisations, youth groups, trade unions, individual activists and people of good conscience to support the demand for the immediate withdrawal of the sham charges and carry out different solidarity actions like issuing public statements, sending protest messages and organizing peaceful demo on or before October 9 which is the next date for the adjourned treason trial at the Federal High Court Abuja.
We also seize this opportunity to reiterate our call for the release of seven Endbadgovernance protestors who were recently convicted in Borno state and sentenced to prison. We strongly believe that no Nigerian should be sent to prison or punished for exercising their fundamental rights to protest. The judiciary must not become the bride of despotic politicians or offer itself to be used to undermine basic human rights.
The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) also calls for freedom for all who are still in detention or on trial in connection with Endbadgovernance protest.
The Tinubu government has continued to act true to its draconian nature; the attacks on the fundamental rights of Nigerians are still ongoing. In fact, cases of police brutality have become a daily occurrence. Alongside this calamitous situation is the continuation of the neo-liberal and anti-masses polices. None of the demands made by Nigerians during the Endbadgovernance protest has been met by the government; it ignored them all. To respond to this, we need a united mass platform of resistance, uniting all oppressed layers of society, particularly the working masses. We urge the labour leadership to wake up to its responsibility and lend its weight to the building of mass resistance against repression and anti-poor policies under the Tinubu government.
Francis Nwapa,
National Secretary
Email: [email protected]