Breaking News: Five Malnourished Protesters Collapse in Abuja Court as Fed Govt Charges 125 with Terrorism
In a disturbing scene at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, five malnourished teenagers collapsed just minutes into their arraignment on terrorism charges brought by the Tinubu administration. The 125 defendants are alleged to have participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano State and face charges from the Nigeria Police Force.
The arraignment was split into two groups of 76 and 49 defendants, appearing before Justice Obiora Egwuatu. Shortly after the first group took the dock, several teenagers fell, appearing visibly weak and malnourished. Justice Egwuatu promptly suspended the proceedings, calling on court medical personnel to attend to those who collapsed.
Defense attorney Marshall Abubakar attributed the collapse to severe hunger and health neglect, explaining, “All these young children are sick and hungry. They have been held 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.”
The incident raises serious concerns about the detainees' treatment and well-being while in police custody and highlights the health and humanitarian issues tied to the handling of protest-related arrests.