Landmark Ruling: Treason Charges Against Protesters Terminated
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the treason charges against 150 protesters from the #EndBadGovernance movement.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the charges after the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, requested to withdraw the case.
The Attorney General invoked Section 174 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, allowing him to discontinue the proceedings.
This decision was reportedly influenced by President Bola Tinubu, who instructed the Attorney General to drop charges against these individuals, many of whom are minors and thus protected from such prosecution by law.
The dismissal marks a significant legal shift for the movement, which saw heavy crackdowns on participants initially accused of attempting to destabilize the state during protests aimed at government accountability and reform.