Former presidential spokesman, Laolu Akande has sharply criticized the Federal Government’s arraignment of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests, calling it a “national disgrace” that tarnishes Nigeria’s democratic reputation.
Speaking on Channels Television on Sunday, Akande condemned the government’s handling of the cases, describing the situation as “embarrassingly shoddy” and a serious misstep in upholding Nigeria’s legal and ethical values.
Akande expressed concern that the detention and arraignment of young protesters contradict the democratic image Nigeria seeks to project globally.
He noted that the government’s approach sends a troubling signal about the nation’s commitment to fair treatment and justice, particularly for its youth.
“Even if the government has a good case against them,” he argued, “aren’t there more decent ways to conduct this matter than in this embarrassingly shoddy manner that showcases us poorly in a digital age where information travels faster than the speed of light?”
The detained minors have reportedly been held far beyond the lawful time limits, languishing in various detention facilities across the country.
“As if that wasn’t bad enough,” Akande continued, “the court has now set stringent bail conditions that these minors can’t possibly attain, including a N10 million bail sum, in the same week that a federal legislator got N500,000 bail in a case where he has already owned up to his own responsibility for bad behaviour.”
Akande decried this apparent double standard, noting how such punitive measures against young Nigerians are both cruel and counterproductive to national unity and progress.
“The cruel path we are forcing those minors to walk is abhorrent. It has no place in nation-building. After all, those young folks are the future of our country,” he remarked.
Expressing concern, Akande questioned how such actions could affect Nigeria’s aspirations on the global stage.
“We want to be regarded as Africa’s giant. We want a seat on the United Nations Security Council. We want to stand proudly among the comity of nations. But these unforced errors and disgraceful conduct by our law enforcement agencies have to stop,” he asserted.
Following the public outcry, Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, assumed responsibility for the case from the police.
While Akande commended Fagbemi’s intervention, he raised concerns about the Ministry of Justice’s delayed involvement in what had become a high-profile case.
“Why wasn’t the Ministry of Justice involved earlier? Such negligence risks tarnishing the democratic credentials of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he warned, emphasizing the potential fallout on Nigeria’s international standing.
“This kind of shenanigans can annihilate any claim we have as a respectable nation to international recognition,” he said. “It’s a national disgrace. We must find a way to end it by all legal means possible.”
