Mr. Deji Adeyanju, a lawyer representing #EndBadGovernance protesters, announced that the Citizens’ Liberties Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) successfully secured the release of six protesters in Kano State.
This development comes as 67 civil society organizations condemned attacks on civic space and democracy, emphasizing the Nigerian populace’s demand for good governance.
Adeyanju reported that the committee achieved the release during the ongoing trial of the protesters in Kano. The NBA Civil Liberties Committee, chaired by Nuhu Egya and including Adeyanju and other prominent human rights activists, is actively involved in the case.
While in Kano, Adeyanju stated they attended the trial of some protesters, planned to meet with the Chief Judge of Kano State, and intended to visit the imprisoned protesters. Kano State has seen over 1,000 arrests related to the protests, making it the state with the highest number of detainees, though nearly 80 have recently been granted bail.
He noted, “The Citizens’ Liberties Committee of the NBA intervenes in the ongoing trial of Kano protesters, securing the release of six #EndBadGovernance protesters. The trial of others has been adjourned until September 23, 2024. We are making efforts to engage with the judiciary leadership and will visit the prison after meeting with the Chief Judge.”
In a related development, Dr. Abubakar Alkali, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering at Baze University, was granted bail by Sokoto State High Court after being held by the Department of State Security (DSS) for over three weeks for his support of the #EndBadGovernance protests. Adeyanju expressed gratitude to the NBA leadership and its Sokoto Branch for their support in securing Dr. Alkali’s release.