National leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has expressed deep shock over the arraignment of minors by the police before an Abuja court over alleged participation in the #EndBadGovernance protest in August.
Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 General Elections, lamented that, ”These children, who are obviously malnourished and need medical attention have been subjected to a cruel experience when they should be in school.”
“The arraignment of such a number of minors in their states is highly unusual and negates every tenet of the protection of human rights and dignity,” he argued.
“It is our duty, as leaders, to protect the most vulnerable among us, particularly children, women, old and the needy. And the government should not be at the forefront of this violation.”
He also decried the stringent conditions set for their bail, saying it is absurd that a minor was ordered to source for N10 million and a Grade Level 15 civil servant to bail him
”The Child’s Rights Act 2003, Section 11, protects the dignity of every child and protects them from any physical, mental or emotional injury, abuse, neglect or maltreatment.
He charged the government to immediately review their charges so that they could go back to their families and be responsible citizens.
”I would like to call on the Federal Government to face the challenges of banditry, kidnapping, Boko Haram, lack of stable electricity and excruciating economic policies rather than putting children behind bars,” he surmised.
