The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has called on international organisations, including UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, to condemn the detention and maltreatment of minors involved in Nigeria’s #EndBadGovernance protests.
In a statement issued by CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the organisation expressed grave concern over reports that some detained children, including those under 15, collapsed due to malnutrition in a Federal High Court in Abuja.
“Detaining these children under such appalling conditions is unconscionable,” Rafsanjani stated. “We are appealing to all responsible authorities to ensure their swift release and hold accountable those who orchestrated their detention. This incident stands as a dark stain on our national commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights.”
Since August, Nigerian police have held the minors after they participated in protests against worsening hunger and insecurity.
CISLAC urged the Nigerian Bar Association to advocate for the detained minors’ rights.
It also called upon First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to intervene, emphasising that she should view the young detainees “as her own children.”
“The inhumane detention and maltreatment of these children must end,” Rafsanjani urged.
He highlighted that such treatment not only contradicts Nigeria’s commitment to human rights but also damages its global image.
Images circulating on social media depict the harrowing conditions within the courtroom, where lawyers attempted to revive collapsed minors.
CISLAC condemned the prolonged detention as a strategy to punish young citizens exercising their constitutional rights.
Despite police claims of alleged threats to national stability, rights groups argue that their detention violates both national and international standards. “Anyone responsible for detaining these minors unjustly is the true criminal here,” Rafsanjani concluded, calling for urgent intervention.
