Falana Threatens Lawsuit If Minors In Hunger Protests Aren’t Rehabilitated

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has threatened to drag the Federal Government to court if it fails to rehabilitate the minors recently arrested during hunger protests.

Falana shared this position on Tuesday during a book review event in Abuja for ‘Judiciary Terrorism’, written by Richard Akinnola.

On the same day, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed charges against 119 protesters, including minors, after the Attorney-General of the Federation applied to drop the government’s case.

GWG.ng reports that the case against the protesters, initially charged following widespread hunger protests, was officially withdrawn.

In response, Falana welcomed the dismissal but said simply dropping the charges was insufficient. He emphasized the government’s duty to ensure the minors are rehabilitated and provided with access to education.

Falana explained, “Just this morning before this event, I was at the court here in Abuja, where 119 Nigerians, including twenty-nine minors, were brought in. But the government was too ashamed to bring them into the courtroom, unlike last week.”

He continued, “This morning, the government withdrew the frivolous charges, so the young people are now free. But as I told the court, it’s not enough just to stop this trial. These young people, who should have been in school, need to be rehabilitated by the government, and we will make sure they are sent back to school.”

Falana also warned that if the government fails to provide rehabilitation, he will file a lawsuit. “Under the Child Rights Act, which every state in the Federation has adopted, Section 15 states that every child in Nigeria is entitled to free and compulsory education from primary to secondary school. We will hold the government accountable to this law,” he concluded.

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