By Sabiu Abdullahi
A Kano State court has released 40 minors on bail who were among the hundreds arrested during the recent #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.
The minors were freed following the intervention of Advocate for Justice Alliance, a civic organisation led by Barrister AK Musa.
The Kano State Police Command had arrested 873 suspects for alleged crimes committed during the protests, which were held to demand solutions to Nigeria’s economic woes and insecurity.
The suspects were arraigned before magistrates and detained in various prison facilities.
Barrister Musa confirmed the release of the minors, saying, “We’re pleased that 40 minors have been granted bail, but unfortunately, no adults have been released.”
He added that his organisation is working to secure the release and representation of more detainees, with the next court hearing set for September 11, 2024.
The protests, which took place across the country, saw over 1000 Nigerians arrested and detained, according to Amnesty International.
The global human rights organisation criticized the government’s response to the protests, saying it failed to address the economic issues driving the demonstrations.