The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives is seeking compensation for minors who were arrested and detained by the Police for three months following their participation in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Recall that the minors were arraigned in court on charges of terrorism, treasonable felony, and arson.
In a statement released on Friday, the caucus demanded an investigation, prosecution, and punishment of individuals and government agencies involved in the detention of the minors and other youths who took part in the August protests.
The statement was signed by Minority Leader Rep. Kingsley Chinda, Minority Whip Dr. Ali Isa J.C, Deputy Minority Leader R. Aliyu Madaki, and Deputy Minority Whip George Ozodinobi.
The caucus emphasized the need for accountability and compassionate support to address the situation, which has sparked national outrage and drawn international attention.
While commending President Bola Tinubu for facilitating the release of the protesters, the Minority Caucus insisted on a thorough investigation and appropriate punishment for the parties responsible.
“Detaining the youths for 95 days—a period they could have used to pursue their education or vocations—is unacceptable,” the caucus stated, urging that justice be served to deter future occurrences.
The Caucus also expressed concerns over the psychological and health impacts the youths may have suffered during their detention, urging the government to provide therapeutic and medical support to aid their reintegration into society.
Additionally, the caucus advocated for reparation packages to help mitigate the hardship and emotional trauma experienced by the youths and their families during their prolonged detention.
The statement added, “Conscious of the psychological trauma, and health challenges the children may have experienced, we appeal that quality reformatory therapy sessions, and medical support be advanced to them as they unite with their respective families.
“Also, we call for immediate reparation packages to the children and their families to ameliorate the untoward hardship, pain, and emotional torture suffered during the period of unlawful incarceration.”
