From Maiharaji Altine
The Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners Forum (ABMPF) has condemned the arraignment and inhuman treatment of 76 protesting boys for treason charges.
In a statement, the chairman of the forum, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Yelwa said, the Forum has condemned in strongest terms the inhuman treatment matted on fellow Nigerians, whose only crime was exercising their constitutional rights to protest.
Yelwa said, “The Forum shares the repulsion and disbelief of Nigerians, after seeing physically terrorized and malnourished youth paraded before an Abuja court for charges of high treason”.
”This irresponsible act of inhumanity by the police that had attracted national and international outrage, will forever be a stain on our national consciousness as a so-called democratic country”.
“We therefore condemn in strongest terms this inhuman treatment matted on fellow Nigerians, whose only crime was exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights to protest”.
“The revelation by the government that it had uncovered the identity of the sponsors of the #EndBadGovernance protest, made the prosecution of these boys, who probably attended the protests out of childish curiosity, laughable, though tragic”.
“We therefore call on the Federal Government to arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable for the detention and mistreatment of these children”.
Yelwa stressed that it was becoming increasingly clear that Nigeria under President Tinubu was fast becoming a police state where the rights of the citizens are daily being trampled upon.
He said, “Critical national institutions like the judiciary, police and other security services, designed for the protection of the rights of the citizens, have been turned into mere tools for the oppression of the masses”.
“As observed recently by the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria, BON, even the press has not been spared, with journalists being regularly arrested for no just reason”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the causes of the social upheaval being witnessed in the country are directly attributable to the destabilizing and debilitating effects of the policies of the President”.
He expressed disgust that, Nigerians have been subjected to all kinds of maltreatment as a result of which people were daily dieing of hunger.
He maintained that, people would continue to protest, especially as the government appeared to be insensitive to their plight.
He called on President Tinubu to immediately release the protesting children and prosecute the real protesters.
“We join other Nigerians in calling on President Tinubu to order the immediate release of these protesters and arrest and prosecute the real sponsors of the protest if there are any”.
“These physical tormented terrorized boys, scavenging for food in the temple of justice, to any right thinking mind, are not capable of high treason against Nigeria”.
He drew the attention of President Tinubu of the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1984 which clearly stated that “no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment”.
“Unfortunately, Nigeria has failed to uphold this convention, and the recent arraignment of youth and juveniles is a stark reminder of this failure”. Lamented Yelwa.
Yelwa stressed that, the Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners’ Forum would continue to advocate for justice, equality, and human rights in Nigeria.
He called on President Tinubu, the security forces, and the judiciary to release the 76 detainees and ensure their safety and well-being.
He added that that the four juveniles who collapsed in the court should immediately be flown to Paris or London for treatment.
He urged the President to set up a panel to investigate and prosecute the real sponsors of the protest which the police claimed to have uncovered.
He also called on President Tinubu to address the root causes of the agitation and ensure that the rights of all citizens were protected.
“The President should uphold the rule of law and ensure that the judiciary is independent and impartial.
“He should reverse some of the anti people programmes of his administration that have brought untold hardship to the nation”.
“The Government must offer unreserved apology to the victims and offer them adequate compensation”.
Yelwa finally appealed to all Nigerians to stand firm and fight against any injustice and violation of human rights.
