Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Amarike Akpoke is a Contributing Analyst to USAfricaonline.com
President Bola Tinubu’s directive for the release of minors detained over their involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests is, albeit welcome, far too little, far too late, and a belated gesture that does little to redeem his administration’s already tarnished reputation. Issued under mounting public and international scrutiny, this directive highlights a deeply troubling trend that has plagued his administration since taking office – an unending cycle of bumbling, blundering, and floundering in the face of Nigeria’s pressing issues. But while this may seem like a commendable shift in policy, it underscores the administration’s troubling stance towards citizens’ rights to dissent and the widespread disregard for democratic principles.
From the outset, the decision to arrest, detain, and charge ordinary Nigerians, many of them minors, for peacefully expressing their frustrations over poor governance stands in stark opposition to the tenets of democracy. The events have already inflicted significant damage on Tinubu’s administration, casting a long shadow over its commitment to the rule of law and fundamental human rights. Protest is a cornerstone of democratic expression; the attempt to criminalize it reveals a disturbing willingness to stifle the voices of those discontented with the state of the nation. Tinubu’s directive arrives too late to counter the damage inflicted on his administration’s image. By placing young protesters – Nigeria’s future leaders – under the scrutiny of a criminal justice system for merely demanding better governance, the administration has signaled a disregard for the constitutional freedoms it is sworn to uphold. The sudden reversal through this directive appears more as an attempt to placate critics than a genuine shift in policy. After all, where was this concern for justice and children’s rights when these young people were first arrested?
Since May 29, 2023, the Tinubu administration has struggled to navigate the complexities of governance with the wisdom and foresight required to steer a nation through turbulent times. From escalating economic hardships and security crises to missteps in handling civic dissent, these months have underscored a seeming disconnect between leadership intentions and real, effective action. Criminalizing peaceful protest, arresting, detaining, and prosecuting citizens, many of them minors, was a move that never should have happened in a democratic nation, and the release of these minors feels more like damage control than a genuine commitment to democratic principles. Tinubu’s administration has too often reacted to issues only after public outcry becomes unavoidable, showing a lack of proactive governance that frustrates ordinary Nigerians. It reflects a flawed, knee-jerk approach that prioritizes immediate control over long-term stability and unity. The missteps in addressing peaceful protest, and the government’s failure to recognize dissent as a legitimate expression of democratic rights, are symptoms of a broader pattern. The continuous mismanagement reflects a lack of accountability and foresight that risks Nigeria’s future.
For 97 harrowing days, minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests languished in detention under inhumane conditions. Charged with treasonable felony and finally released on bail under staggering terms, including a N10 million bond and two sureties, these children have endured a tragic ordeal with far-reaching psychological consequences. The authorities showed a shocking disregard for their age and rights, ignoring the inevitable trauma inflicted by such unjust incarceration. This continued until national and international outcry forced Nigeria’s already tarnished human rights record back into the global spotlight.
Throughout these long days, neither President Bola Tinubu nor his close circle of advisors, Bayo Onanuga and Dele Alake, who plainly accused the protesters of seeking ‘regime change,’ raised any concerns over the fate of these minors. Where was the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi? Where was the Chief Justice of Nigeria? Where were these custodians of justice who should have acted swiftly to safeguard the spirit and letter of the Child Rights Act of 2003? These questions highlight deeper concerns about President Tinubu’s governance style and his administration’s approach to human rights and civic engagement. Rather than enforcing democratic values and protecting the vulnerable, the administration appears more inclined toward reactionary measures, treating protesters as criminals rather than concerned citizens. The involvement of minors in protests is an indication of the depth of discontent in Nigeria, yet rather than addressing these concerns, the government has chosen to respond with oppressive tactics.
This incident calls into question the leadership’s priorities and its understanding of democracy, one where civic dissent should be protected, not punished. The fact that this issue only received attention after international condemnation reflects a distressing lack of foresight and accountability. Tinubu’s response thus far raises more questions than it answers, casting a shadow over his administration’s commitment to justice, fairness, and, fundamentally, the well-being of Nigeria’s youngest citizens. Initially silent, the administration abruptly shifted course: the Attorney-General ordered a case file review, and less than a day later, Tinubu ordered the immediate withdrawal of charges against the minors, along with a sweeping investigation into the circumstances behind their detention. Suddenly, President Tinubu had woken up from sleepless slumber to the riling reality of the arraignment of minors blunder as if tumbling down from another planet.
The suddenness of Tinubu’s response, as though jolted from a deep political slumber, raises urgent questions. Where was this vigilance when these minors were first arrested, detained in deplorable conditions, and slapped with extreme bail terms? Only now, under the harsh spotlight of national and international scrutiny, does the administration appear concerned. Was Tinubu unaware of the real-time agony endured by these young Nigerians, children subjected to the darkest sides of the justice system for simply voicing dissent? For three dreary months, these minors languished, their childhoods bruised by a government unwilling to recognize the basic rights enshrined in the Child Rights Act. Now, the administration’s last-minute reversal comes across as nothing more than a reactionary attempt to salvage its battered image. If the President’s sense of justice is so easily awakened by public outcry, what does this say about his administration’s principles?
As if Nigerians have not had enough of bizarre display of tone-deaf governance, President Kashim Shettima is reportedly set to preside over another floundering spectacle – an “elaborate handover ceremony” to transfer custody of malnourished minors detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests to northern governors. What ordinarily should have been discretely done to downplay the shame of a blundering administration is being primed to be advertised with all the glitz and razzmatazz as if celebrating a national heroic feat. What should have been a quiet, remorseful rectification of a grave misstep is now being spun into a theatrical performance, complete with pomp and ceremony, as if to celebrate a national triumph rather than an undeniable failure. Gosh! Who did this to Nigeria? Rather than addressing the shameful failures that led to their detention, the administration is choosing to highlight their release, seemingly oblivious to the public outrage this has caused.
The release of these young protesters should be a matter of urgent redress, not fodder for a grandiose spectacle. These children, who endured inhumane conditions and the trauma of prolonged incarceration, are being paraded and shown off in full glare of clicking cameras like pimps in a zoo as if their suffering is an accomplishment worthy of national acclaim. This misguided pageantry only underscores the disconnect between Nigeria’s leadership and the citizens it is meant to serve. Again, I ask; who did we offend in this country called Nigeria? When did the country’s leadership sink so low as to turn what should be a sombre reckoning into a glorified handover, drawing attention not to compassion but to incompetence?
At this critical point, the Tinubu administration should be offering apologies, compensation, and psychological support to minors detained under deplorable conditions. When the call should be for healing, reparations, and mental health support for these innocent victims of unjust detention and inhumane treatment, the government appears more interested in staging a costly show. The detained minors now face the lasting impacts of a traumatic experience. Where they deserve careful rehabilitation, counseling, and financial restitution for their suffering, they instead find themselves at the centre of what looks like a PR exercise, with full complement of a capital vote running into billions of naira. Trust Nigeria’s peculiar penchant for ceremonials. State House choreographers would likely file out the detained and arraigned minors, fully-decked in a national asoebi (possibly Remi Tinubu’s national unity fabric)! This approach raises serious ethical questions. If the government genuinely cared about these children, it would prioritize lasting healing, not spectacle. The children’s well-being should come first, with a straightforward apology and appropriate financial compensation to help them move forward from this experience. Instead, the planned ceremony reads as an insult, a continuation of the trauma by turning their release into a hollow pageant, a costly, performative display.
And when eventually the released minors arrived the Aso Rock Villa for the ‘elaborate handover ceremony,’ it turned out a missed opportunity for the Tinubu administration to demonstrate true leadership when Vice President Kashim Shettima’s remarks on President Tinubu’s “compassionate” release of the minors further highlighted the administration’s tone-deaf approach to this sensitive issue. While Shettima emphasized that the President’s directive to release these children was an act of compassion, he used the opportunity to admonish them for the alleged N300 billion in losses attributed to the protests. Rather than a genuine opportunity for reconciliation and accountability, the event became a stage for justifying the government’s heavy-handed approach by shifting blame to the minors themselves, ignoring the months of unjust detention and the trauma they endured.
This was a moment where the administration could have shown humility, acknowledging the wrongful treatment of these young citizens and recognizing their right to peaceful protest. Instead, it turned into a public display of paternalism, portraying their release as a gracious act of leniency. This stance overlooks the fact that these minors were detained under harsh conditions for expressing dissent in a democracy. What could have been a chance to offer compensation, public apology, and mental health support turned into an attempt to portray the President as the “compassionate leader” while sidelining the real issues of justice and human rights. Rather than lecturing these young citizens, the Tinubu administration should focus on setting up measures to truly safeguard their rights, including a sincere apology, adequate psychological support, and tangible reparations. True leadership would mean recognizing the rights of citizens to protest and demonstrating accountability for actions that infringe on these rights, fostering a democracy that respects its people rather than attempting to control them. Well, Nigerians, this is where we are!
