By Gabriel Ewepu

Mr. Deji Adeyanju, lawyer to the #EndBadGovernance protesters, on Wednesday praised President Bola Tinubu for ordering the release of minors arrested, detained, and arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In an interview with Vanguard, Adeyanju stated, “The directive by President Tinubu for the minors arraigned for protesting to be released is commendable, but every protester arrested must be released unconditionally.”

He added, “This is the bare minimum after the rights abuses these protesters have endured.”

Minors in Police Detention

Adeyanju described the minors’ situation as “callous,” questioning how children could be charged with terrorism. “As a nation, we have to do better. These children are supposed to be in school; most of them are from Kano and Kaduna States, far from home. They have suffered severe dehumanization, maltreatment, and starvation, which is itself a form of torture,” he said.

Minors Went Three Days Without Food

Adeyanju revealed that reports from some minors indicated they went three days without food. “When people in custody are starved, that’s torture—let alone starving kids. It’s inhumane and degrading treatment,” he asserted.

Inadequate Access to Medical Treatment

Only a few, reportedly about five, were taken to a police clinic over the 93-day detention period. “Even then, they received inadequate treatment. Many now suffer from back pain and stomach aches due to starvation, with some likely developing ulcers,” he added.

Parents Extremely Traumatized

Adeyanju noted that parents are “bitter and pained” by their children’s treatment. “We have worked with them over the last three months, trying to reach a resolution with the government,” he said, explaining that despite multiple meetings and appeals, the authorities did not respond favorably.