“All These Boys Are Adults; Most Are Married Men” – Government Prosecutor on #EndBadGovernance Protesters’ Arraignment

In a high-profile development, Rimazonte Ezekiel, a prosecutor representing the federal government, asserted that all individuals arraigned in connection with the #EndBadGovernance protests are adults. The police brought charges against 72 protesters on Friday, accusing them of participating in demonstrations that swept the nation from August 1 to August 10, 2024.

While initial reports suggested minors were among those detained, Ezekiel refuted this claim, asserting that “all of these boys we brought to court today are adults,” and adding that “most of them are married men and university graduates.” Ezekiel argued that any young children seen at the courthouse were there merely to “greet their loved ones” and were not suspects in the case.

“None of them is a minor. The small kids you see here came with their parents to greet their loved ones. They are not even the real suspects standing trial in this case,” Ezekiel emphasized.

The federal government’s decision to arraign these protesters—many of whom have been granted bail set at N10 million—has sparked significant backlash among Nigerians, with critics questioning the treatment of young individuals allegedly involved. Ezekiel further claimed that the detained individuals, reportedly arrested in Kaduna and Zaria, were seen using Russian flags during the protests and calling for military intervention to unseat the president.