Proceedings at a federal high court in Abuja descended into chaos on Friday as several children awaiting arraignment in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests collapsed. The children, appearing frail and malnourished, were called forward to enter their pleas when four of them suddenly fainted and rushed out of the courtroom, causing a temporary suspension of the session by presiding judge Obiora Egwuatu.
Once order was restored and court resumed, the prosecution requested that the names of the four affected children be removed from the list of defendants, a motion that the judge approved. The remaining defendants were then arraigned as planned.
A total of 76 individuals, including those apprehended in Abuja, Kaduna, Gombe, Jos, Katsina, and Kano, face serious charges such as treason and other related offences. The protests, held from August 1 to 10, were sparked by widespread economic hardship and poor governance, with demonstrators demanding reduced government expenditures, the reinstatement of fuel subsidies, improved food security, and better fiscal policies.
While largely peaceful, the protests took a violent turn in certain areas, resulting in looting and vandalism.
Comments