The Department of State Service, DSS, has released two #EndBadGovernance protesters detained in Kaduna over the weekend.
However, at least 125 protesters remain in detention nationwide, including 38 remanded by Justice Emeka Nwite in Abuja.
These protesters have been in custody for over 62 days, sparking concerns about the lack of transparency in the judicial process.
In an interview, Deji Adeyanju, counsel to the protesters, expressed concerns about the authorities’ claim of filing charges without providing documents to support these claims.
Adeyanju highlighted the inconsistencies in handling protest-related cases nationwide.
He noted that collaborative efforts between the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and protesters’ counsel have led to significant releases in Kano and Sokoto.
However, he said efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining detainees.
Adeyanju said:
“We are currently working on the cases of about 38 or 39 #EndBadGovernance protesters, who have been remanded by Justice Nwite in Abuja for 62 days.
“Their remand is set to end today (Monday). The authorities claim to have filed charges against many others, but we have not been served any documents up to this point. That’s the main challenge we have.
“In Kano, most of the 873 protesters have been released because we have been collaborating with the NBA on this matter. In Sokoto, we have made some progress as well.”
The #EndBadGovernance protests were sparked by worsening economic hardship and growing hunger across Nigeria but turned violent in some states, resulting in casualties and arrests.
