A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has freed minors protesting against President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, following outcry over their arraignment before the court.
They were freed after the suit against the teenagers over their participation during the nationwide protest against Tinubu’s economic policy tagged #EndBadGovernance protest, were strucked out.
The suit was struck out following an application by the counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, M. D Abubakar, to take over and discontinue the suit.
The Trial Judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, on Tuesday, ruled that the minor suspects be released after the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, who was represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) Mohammed Abubakar, had during proceedings announced the exercise of his power of section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to take over the case from the Inspector General of Police.
After granting the request by Justice Egwuatu, the AGF proceeded to request the invocation of the same section of the Constitution to discontinue the trial of the 119 accused persons.
Following no objections to the request from various lawyers representing the accused persons, Justice Egwuatu granted the request and struck out the charges.
Although the accused persons were not in court, the judge ordered their immediate release from prison.
President Bola Tinubu had on Monday directed the AGF to terminate the charges against the accused persons, most of who are said to be minors and prohibited by law from facing such trial.
