Nigerian president frees children who collapsed in court

[Pelican Press 0]

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********* president frees children who collapsed in court

Nigeria’s president has ordered the immediate release of a group of young people accused of treason, after footage of some of them collapsing in court sparked outrage.

The 27 teenagers – among 76 suspects detained for months following their arrest in anti-government protests – are aged between 14 and 18.

Bola Tinubu directed officials to release them after

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, apparently due to malnourishment.

Viral videos of them writhing in pain before being taken for medical treatment sparked a renewed debate over their treatment by authorities in Nigeria, as well as the length of their detention.

The suspects had been in custody for nearly three months after participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests which

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.

The demonstrations turned violent in some places when protesters clashed with security forces.

Police say seven people ***** – though rights groups put the ****** toll at 23. Nearly 700 people were arrested.

Some of those in court in the capital, Abuja, on Friday were accused of flying Russian flags and planning to overthrow the ********* government.

In a statement on Monday, President Tinbula’s spokesman Bayo Onanuga said that it was his wish that the release of the children did not prejudice the ongoing legal action.

Reuters reported, citing Information Minister Mohammed Idris, that the treason charges against the children had been dropped.

Mr Onanuga said the ********* humanitarian affairs ministry had been asked “to ensure the safe return of all the minors to their families while an investigation has been opened into the circumstances leading to their prolonged detention”.

When the courtroom footage emerged, ********* rights organisation Enough is Enough said they had been subjected to “institutional child ******”.

Amnesty International described the children’s detention was “one of the deadliest attempts to suppress freedom of assembly” so far.

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