JUST IN: Attorney General Intervenes in Case of 114 Detained EndBadGovernance Protesters, Takes Over Prosecution

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has assumed control over the prosecution of 114 protesters who were detained following an EndBadGovernance protest. The casefile, previously managed by the Nigeria Police, is set to be transferred to the AGF’s office.

The decision, which was announced in a statement from the AGF’s office late Friday, comes as the AGF directed the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) to work on rescheduling the next court hearing to an earlier date. According to Mr. Fagbemi, his office intends to review specific elements of the case before moving forward with prosecution.

The 114 protesters were initially arraigned on charges including treason and other offenses related to the demonstration. Currently, the defendants have been remanded by court order until a January hearing. The AGF clarified that he cannot alter the court’s detention order but emphasized the urgency of expediting the process.

“I have directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the casefile to my office and to hand it over to the DPPF by tomorrow, Saturday, November 2,” Fagbemi stated. “Additionally, I have instructed the DPPF to promptly prepare a submission to the court to request an earlier hearing date.”