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Tag: Kano Protest

  • Kano protest: AGF intervenes, takes over case file from police

    Kano protest: AGF intervenes, takes over case file from police

    • Four teens collapse at arraignment over alleged treason
    • 118 defendants granted N10m bail with two sureties

    Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) announced last night that he had asked  from the police the case file of the #EndBadGovernance protesters who were arraigned earlier in the day.

    Four teenagers among the 118 people  arraigned  before a Federal High Court in Abuja in connection with the protest collapsed a few minutes after the commencement of proceedings.

    They were accused of treason following their  arrest during the August 1 to August 10 #EndBadGovernance protests.

    The arraignment of the teenagers in particular drew wide criticism from many quarters yesterday.

    Reacting to the criticism Fagbemi said in a statement that  he had directed that the case file be transferred to his office by the police.

    He said:“It has just come to my notice that the police have arraigned those arrested in connection with the end bad governance violent protest in court for various offences including treason. There are some issues my office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me take an informed decision.

    “I am aware that the court has remanded the defendants in detention centres and adjourned the case to January. It is not within my power to vary the order of the court remanding the defendants in detention centres and adjourning the case to January.

    “I have, however, directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file to my office and hand over same to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) tomorrow, Saturday 2nd November, 2024.

    “I have further directed the DPPF to immediately put machinery in motion for consideration of the court to bring the adjournment date forward (an earlier date).”

    Four teens collapse in court

    All the 118 accused persons  appeared before Justice  Obiora Egwuatu.

    They were alleged to have participated in the last #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano State, chanting  anti-government slogans, calling  for unlawful change of government through military intervention and carrying foreign flags.

    According to one of the defence lawyers, Marshall Abubakar, the accused persons  were charged in two batches of 76 and 43.

    Shortly after the first batch were called, the defendants started mounting the dock. Suddenly,  some  of them fell down, causing confusion in the court.  The development prompted the judge to suspend proceedings.

    Health officials from the court’s clinic were immediately invited to attend to those who collapsed.

    Abubakar blamed the development on hunger and ill-health on the part of the defendants.

    He said: “All these young children are sick and hungry. They have been kept in police custody for weeks without food and proper medical care. They are sick and need proper attention. That is the cause of these unfortunate developments.”

     After the defendants were attended to and they regained strength, proceedings resumed, following which the prosecuting lawyer, Audi Garba applied that the names of the four that suffered ill-health, should be excluded from the charge.

    Defence lawyers, including Abubakar, did not object, following which Justice Egwuatu struck out their names from the first charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/503/2024, containing names of 76 defendants.

    The remaining 72 defendants pleaded not guilty when the 10 counts in the charge were read to them.

    Abubakar moved the defendants’ bail application, against which the prosecution did not file a counter affidavit.

    Ruling, Justice Egwuatu noted that the prosecution did not counter the defendants’ assurances that they would be available for trial and would not tamper with witnesses nor jump bail if granted.

    The judge also noted that some of the defendants were young children below the age of 18 years.

    He then granted bail to each of the defendants at N10million with two sureties, one of which must be a federal civil servant from level 15, while the second should be either of each defendants’ parents or a sibling.

    He adjourned till January 24, 2025 for the commencement of trial.

    On the second charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/527/2024, 42 defendants, out of the 43 listed on the charge, were eventually arraigned yesterday.

    They were accused of committing similar offences in Kaduna during the protest.

    Before their arraignment, the prosecuting lawyer applied that one of the 43 defendants suffered ill-health and should be excluded from the proceedings, following which the judge struck out the name from the charge.

    The remaining 42 pleaded not guilty to the charge and were also granted bail on similar conditions as the earlier ones.

    In some of the counts in the charge: they defendants were alleged to have, “while acting in concert with drew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British Citizen, with intent to destabilise Nigeria, levied war against the state in order to intimidate or overawe the President by attacking and injuring police officers and burning police stations, High Court complex, NCC Complex, Kano Printing Press, Government House Kano, Kaduna Investment and Promotions Agency office, NURTW office and several other buildings thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 410 of the Penal Code (Northern States)  Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 2004

    *While acting in cert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British citizen with intent destabilize Nigeria, incited to mutiny by calling on the military to take over government  from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by chanting ‘Tinubu most go’ ‘soja muskeso’ (meaning Tinubu must go), ‘it is military we want’, while rioting and disturbing public  peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 413 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 2004.

    *Between 1st August, 2024 to 10th August 2024 in FCT, Jos, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Katsina and many other states, while acting in concert with Andrew Martin Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British citizen, with intent to destabilize Nigeria, incited disaffection to the government by inciting public disturbance while carrying placards the inscription ‘end bad government’ and several other inscriptions to incite disaffection to the government and thereby committed an offence contrary to ion 416 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN

    Read Also: HEDA urges AGF to recover over $55b from IOCs

    *With intent to break down law and order in the above states, inciting the Nigeria Military, the Russian government, and other western countries to topple the democratically elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola. Ahmad Tinubu government and other state governors using Russian flags and other flags of other countries in violent protest against law and order, that Nigeria is not safe, and calling for the suspension of democracy in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Senator  demands  probe of  underaged  protesters’ detention, prosecution

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa, asked  Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate what he called  inhuman detention and prosecution of some minors who were alleged to have participated in the #EndBadGovernance protests.

    Sani Musa, who represents Niger East Senatorial District, strongly condemned the detention of the minors and urged the NJC to probe the decision of the Judge who presided over their case.

    “It is deeply troubling that, despite the hardships and challenges these young children have endured, there is a push to have them imprisoned rather than afforded compassion and understanding. Such actions are not only inhumane but also unjust,” he said.

    He also  condemned the judicial stance advocating the continued detention of the minors, which is entirely unacceptable and contrary to the principles of justice and fairness.

  • Hold governor responsible for arson, looting in Kano, group alleges

    Hold governor responsible for arson, looting in Kano, group alleges

    A pro-democracy group, Advocacy for Good Governance (A4GG), has fingered the undiplomatic comments by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state as the root cause for the ongoing arson and looting in the state.

    Protesters in the metropolitan city of Kano on Thursday, August 1, went haywire destroying and setting aflame critical infrastructures, and government property and looting public and private concerns.

    The coordinator of the group, Hashim Abubakar in a statement in Abuja on Thursday noted that the governor’s unguarded comments during a stakeholders meeting at the Government House, Kano undermine the authority of the police to maintain law and order.

    The group also faulted the invitation by the governor to the protesters to the Government House and sent a wrong signal to the would-be arsonists which emboldened them to perpetrate the violent act.

    “What is supposed to be a peaceful protest turned violent because the state chief executive picked a quarrel with the police commissioner by openly condemning him and undermining his authority,” the statement indicated.

    Read Also: VIDEO: Protesters scramble for sausage rolls, water at Ojota

    Abubakar alleged that in a precarious situation when efforts should be geared toward maintaining peace, the governor encouraged the breakdown of law and order with his undiplomatic comments.

    “Even if you have personal grudges against the Police Commissioner in the state, openly undermining his authority will send a wrong signal to those bent on using the opportunity to unleash violence,” the statement added.

    A4GG further noted that as an opposition state, the governor wanted to absolve himself from the present predicament in the country, saying, “There were political undertones to the comments that seemingly hit at the government at the centre.”

    Hashim said Governor Yusuf should be blamed for the destruction of property in the orgy of violence that erupted from what was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration.

  • UPDATED: Protest rocks Kano as policeman kills teenager, injures two

    UPDATED: Protest rocks Kano as policeman kills teenager, injures two

    A Police Inspector, name withheld, has been arrested for erroneously killing a teenager in Kano on Wednesday.

    It was gathered some gangs of political thugs clashed on Wednesday morning, disrupting peace in the area.

    The police personnel deployed to the scene of the incident decided to shoot and release teargas canisters to disperse the thugs. Unfortunately, three persons were shot, eyewitnesses said.

    Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Usaini Gumel, said he acted “unprofessionally,” when, without receiving any command from the existing chain of command, fired a shot.

    His shot also wounded two persons. The victim who died was receiving treatment at the Hospital before he gave up, police said.

    Read Also; Killed on duty

    Youths took to the streets in Kurna quarters along Katsina Road to protest the killing.

    The protesters blocked the ever-busy Kano-Katsina-Daura highway for several hours, causing hardship to commuters and motorists who got stuck in the trouble zone.

    The demonstration raised tension amid an alleged planned protest by a political group against the judgment of the Appeal Court on the state governorship election.

    Police spokesman, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, in a statement said the police have regretted the action by the happy-trigger Inspector.

    He added that the police commissioner, while commiserating with the family of the deceased, has constituted a panel to probe the killing, assuring that justice would be served.

    Gumel appealed to the peace loving people of Kano not to allow “hijackers” to dabble devilishly into the matter to instigate the escalation of violence which will not be in the interest of the State, which he said, was in its trying time.

    “The Police Command is following up on the unfortunate development that occurred in Kurna Quarters, Fagge local government area of Kano State on November 28, where groups of rival restive youths engaged in fighting and a Police Inspector who did not receive any command from the existing chain of Command fired a shot and unfortunately wounded two persons with one other person who died while receiving treatment at the Hospital.

    “It is in the forgoing development that the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Usaini Gumel, directed the Area Commander Dala, Nuhu Mohammed Digi to fish out the erring Police Inspector with a view to constituting a board of inquiry into the cause of the incident of which the outcome will be communicated to the public.

    “Few hours later, the Police Inspector has since been arrested and is now in Police custody.

    “This action of the Police Inspector is quite regrettable. This is because, since the commissioner assumed office, the Police have never entered into confrontation with the members of the public, talk less of firing gunshot.

    “It is a known fact that the Police Command is fully committed to the respect of rights and freedom of all people. Therefore, the Command is calling on members of the public to be rest assured that justice will be served in handling the situation which is quite strange when compared with the cordial relationship existing between the Police and the Public,” the statement said.