Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government for the arrest, detention, and recent court arraignment of 76 protesters involved in the #EndBadGovernance movement.
Atiku condemned the federal government’s treatment of the protesters, especially minors, calling it an act of “wickedness” and referring to Tinubu as “T Pain.”
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In a recent statement on his X platform, Atiku shared his distress over a video showing malnourished minors brought before a Federal High Court under Tinubu’s administration. “A disturbing video of malnourished children being arraigned before a Federal High Court on the orders of the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has come to my attention,” he wrote.
“The horrible scene, reminiscent of a Nazi concentration camp, once again reflects the low value this government places on the lives of the vulnerable, especially children.”
Atiku emphasized the importance of protecting children’s rights, citing Section 11 of Nigeria’s Child Rights Act, which guarantees every child dignity and freedom from physical, mental, or emotional abuse.
He stated, “Every child is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly, no child shall be subjected to physical, mental, or emotional injury, abuse, neglect, or maltreatment, including sexual abuse; nor shall any child be subjected to torture, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment.”
Reports highlighted a distressing moment in the courtroom when a minor collapsed, an incident that critics attribute to malnutrition and inadequate care during detention. Atiku condemned the delay in the children’s arraignment, noting, “The children are being prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the #EndBadGovernance protests that occurred between August 1 and August 10, 2024. If they are just being arraigned three months later, one can only imagine the dehumanizing conditions they have endured during their detention.”
Atiku expressed his disappointment that Tinubu, who previously led protests in defense of Nigeria’s democracy, is now opposing those protesting against his own policies.
He stated, “Children, who are among the most affected by these policies, have every right to protest peacefully, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Child Rights Act. A nation can be assessed by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. It is saddening that even underage children are not spared from the wickedness of T Pain.”
Concluding his remarks, Atiku pointed to the poor treatment of these children as evidence of the need for protest. “The disturbing conditions under which the accused children were brought to court only reinforce the justification for their participation in the protests in the first place,” he said.
