Rita Odafe
A Nigerian lawyer and human rights advocate, Deji Adeyanju, has expressed his dismay following the charging of some #EndBadGovernance demonstrators with treason and their subsequent remand in Kuje and Suleja correctional facilities by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, September 2.
Adeyanju criticized the situation where peaceful protesters face charges while armed bandits causing turmoil in the country roam freely without repercussions.
In an interview with Vanguard, Adeyanju highlighted the disparity in treatment despite calls for the government to release the protesters unconditionally.
Justice Emeka Nwite from the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered their detention until the hearing and decision on their bail request scheduled for September 11, 2024.
Adeyanju lamented, stating: “It is really sad that peaceful protesters are being charged and no bandit is being charged, and that is our dismay and unbelief.”
He further emphasized the alarming state of affairs where a protester was recently arrested in a church and falsely labeled as an armed robber for detention purposes.
Concerning the delayed justice for the protesters, Adeyanju acknowledged that the legal process moves slowly, preventing them from being charged promptly.
Addressing the government’s approach, he remarked, “It is just that the government has shown that of a truth they are misguided, they are not interested in doing the right thing, and it is really sad.”
Despite the challenges, Adeyanju affirmed that the legal team representing the protesters is well-prepared for the upcoming bail application hearing on September 11, stating, “Of course, we are very prepared.”
