The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is working to ensure justice for over 70 underage children arrested during the “End Bad Governance” protest.
The state coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission, Kano state Alhaji Shehu Abdullahi, disclosed this during an exclusive interview with Radio Nigeria.
Recall that the Kano state police command arrested over 600 people, including women and children, for looting, vandalism and raising Russian flags during the end bad governance protest.
In addition to that, some of those charged with federal offences were transferred to the force headquarters Abuja, for investigation.
According to Shehu, the National Human Rights Commission has intervened and convinced the force headquarters to separate the children from the adults where they are being detained.
“They are in custody for over 80 days and most of them are children below the age of 18”
The coordinator emphasized that on the need for special consideration as children cannot be involved in conventional sentencing or imprisonment.
He explained that, the children had no direct contact with their family or legal representatives hence the need for their cases to be transferred back to Kano federal high court.
“Even if they are taken to Abuja for further investigation immediately after questioning the right thing to do is to bring them back for access to family and legal representation”
Shehu highlighted that, most of the children are charged with treason, saying that by the virtue of Nigeria’s constitution raising a foreign flag is a punishable offence.
“But the issue is that most of these children are not aware that what they have done is wrong ”
The coordinator reaffirmed the national human rights commission NHRC determination in ensuring protection of human dignity.