There was a tense moment at a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, as no fewer than four young individuals, among the 76 defendants scheduled for arraignment related to their alleged involvement in the August #EndBadGovernance protest that took place across Nigeria, unexpectedly collapsed during the trial proceedings.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protest, which was launched on August 1 to advocate for better governance, continued until August 10, culminating in nationwide demonstrations. The protest, which called attention to various governance issues, ended amid reports of violent incidents in some regions.
Prior to this, the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police had already charged 11 protesters before Justice Emeka Nwite in a related case, on allegations including treason, conspiracy to commit felony, intent to destabilize Nigeria, and inciting mutiny, all punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.
The protest saw individuals arrested in multiple states, including Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Gombe, with authorities attributing the demonstrations to subsequent incidents of violence and unrest in various parts of the country. The arrests followed the protest's 10-day span, with law enforcement responding to escalating tensions and confrontations during the gatherings.
As the arraignment proceeded on Friday, the I-G’s legal representative, Audu Garba, informed the court that the day was designated for the arraignment of all 76 detained defendants.
However, as the defendants were called to the dock to enter their pleas, a concerning scene unfolded when four of the younger defendants unexpectedly collapsed in the open court.
The four individuals affected were identified as Usman Fatihu, aged 21; Muhammed Yahaya, aged 14; Muktar Ishak Alhassan, aged 16; and Mustapha Ibrahim, aged 18.
These four youths are listed as the 68th, 74th, 75th, and 76th defendants respectively in the comprehensive 10-count charge, which includes treason, among other serious allegations.
In response to the incident, the presiding trial judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, temporarily suspended the trial proceedings and exited the courtroom.
After a short break, Justice Egwuatu returned to the court to resume the trial, following a brief pause to address the unexpected situation involving the young defendants.