Several minors detained during the #EndBadGovernance protest have revealed distressing experiences after two months in custody in Abuja, recounting long periods of isolation and insufficient food.
Speaking at the Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital in Kano upon their return on Tuesday night, the minors described the severe conditions they endured, often spending days without adequate food or sunlight.
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A 15-year-old detainee, Umar Ali, shared the difficulties, saying, “We suffered greatly in detention. Sometimes we went up to three days without food, and when food was available, it was barely enough to sustain us.”
Ali recounted how he was arrested while heading to the market for menial work, claiming he had no involvement in any protest. He explained that the lack of sunlight affected their vision. “We rarely saw sunlight in our holding area, which is why some of us struggled to see clearly when we appeared in court,” he added.
Ali cautioned other youths against joining protests, recalling the harsh treatment he endured despite not participating. Another detainee, 16-year-old Ibrahim Aliyu Musa, described the trauma of being held with hardened criminals and often going without enough food.
“They served us beans in the morning, rice for lunch, and gabza for dinner. Gabza is a type of tuwo made from unwashed corn, known as ‘from sack to pot’ due to its crude preparation,” Musa explained.
A 13-year-old boy from Gadon Kaya, Gwale Local Government Area, recounted his arrest on August 15, stating he was wrongly accused of waving the Russian flag. He was taken to Abuja the next day and held at the Abattoir SARS facility, where minors were detained alongside adult offenders.
The detainees expressed appreciation for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s intervention and urged youths to avoid actions that could endanger their futures.
Currently, the minors are receiving medical care at the Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital, where they will be monitored for four to five days before reuniting with their families.
