The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has publicly condemned the ongoing detention and alleged maltreatment of minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria.
Reports indicate that several detained children, some younger than 15, recently collapsed due to severe malnutrition while appearing in Federal High Court in Abuja.
The minors, detained since August by the Nigerian police for joining protests against escalating insecurity and economic hardship, have reportedly endured inhumane treatment, including lack of adequate food and medical care. Visual evidence circulating on social media shows minors lying on the courtroom floor, with lawyers and bystanders attempting to revive them.
CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, issued a statement urging First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to view these detained children “as her own” and called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
Rafsanjani further criticized the actions of government officials, particularly the Minister of Justice, as contributing to an “appalling” human rights violation.
“It is disturbing and damaging to Nigeria’s global image to witness such treatment of young citizens who were only exercising their constitutional rights,” Rafsanjani remarked. “The inhumane detention and maltreatment of these children must end. Anyone responsible for detaining these minors unjustly is the true criminal here, and this incident warrants urgent intervention.”
The detained minors were reportedly accused of participating in anti-government activities, although CISLAC and other rights groups argue there is no credible evidence supporting these claims. Instead, the organization believes the children’s detention was meant to intimidate and punish them for exercising free speech.
In its statement, CISLAC urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take swift action to secure the minors’ rights and called on international bodies—including UNICEF, the World Food Program, the World Health Organization, and Save the Children Foundation—to pressure the Nigerian government for the children’s immediate, unconditional release.
“This incident stands as a dark stain on our national commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights,” Rafsanjani asserted. “Detaining these children under such appalling conditions is unconscionable, and we urge responsible authorities to release them swiftly and hold accountable those who orchestrated their detention.”
The statement has fueled further public outcry, with civil society groups and activists demanding justice and protection for the young detainees. CISLAC’s call for accountability has intensified pressure on Nigerian leaders to address what many see as an egregious abuse of power and a failure to uphold the rights of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.
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