The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has defended the controversial treason charges filed against several minors who participated in the recent EndBadGovernance protests held nationwide.
Speaking on Thursday at the commissioning of a new office complex for Abuja-based law firm The Law Corridor, Fagbemi justified the legal basis of the charges, emphasizing that no Nigerian law exempts minors from prosecution.
According to Fagbemi, the Federal High Court is the appropriate jurisdiction for cases involving treason, and therefore, the charges against the young protestors were validly brought to court.
However, he highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s intervention to halt the proceedings was a humanitarian gesture. “The president was very compassionate; he is a father and a grandfather.
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If you look at the facts in the possession of the security agency, you would marvel. But the president said, despite all this, ‘I have children and grandchildren,’” Fagbemi said, explaining that this personal connection inspired Tinubu to act mercifully.
The charges were formally dropped last Tuesday when the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed two separate cases against a total of 119 individuals, including 37 minors, who had been detained after the August protests.
The cases, marked as FHC/CR/503/2024 and FHC/CR/527/2024, involved accusations of treason and other charges connected to alleged threats to national security. The decision to withdraw the cases came after the Attorney-General, under President Tinubu’s directive, filed motions to discontinue the charges.
The initial proceedings sparked public outcry, especially after reports that four of the accused minors, aged between 14 and 17, fainted in court before the charges could even be read.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: Tinubu Orders Immediate Release Of Arrested Minors Over Protests
The president’s decision to end the prosecution, according to Fagbemi, underscores a compassionate approach to justice for youths involved in political activism.
Fagbemi also used the event to encourage legal practitioners to pursue partnerships within the profession, suggesting that such collaborations would strengthen both legal capabilities and risk management practices.
“When seasoned practitioners partner with younger lawyers, the next generation of practitioners learns from their experiences… Collaboration enhances good relationships, which is a cornerstone of the law profession,” he said.
The ceremony, hosted by The Law Corridor’s managing partner, Mr. Pelumi Olajengbesi, saw dignitaries such as the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, in attendance.