It pains me deeply to see the faces of these children now facing treason charges. At their age, under the government of H.E Olusegun Obasanjo, I was focused on education and training at Federal Government College, Wukari, not defending myself against charges of treason.
I am at a loss. Why detain these children for three months before even bringing them to court? How can the Federal Government prioritize treason charges over their education, welfare, and development? Where is our humanity?
This case underlines the urgent need for all Nigerians, especially the National Assembly, to amend the Terrorism Prevention Act. A law designed to combat terrorist groups like Boko Haram and bandits is now misused as an instrument of terror against innocent Nigerians.
The Police, DSS, and the Office of the Attorney General increasingly use this Act to obtain ex parte detention orders—without giving the accused a chance to tell their side of the story. As in this case, they presented only the names of these children to a judge, with no supporting evidence, and requested a 60-day detention order pending investigation. Unfortunately, judges routinely grant such requests without fully considering whether extended detention is necessary.
Once labeled with terrorism charges—guilty or not—detention for at least 60 days is the norm. Investigations can drag on, and detention orders are often endlessly renewed under the guise of the Terrorism Prevention Act. Many people have been detained for years without a hearing.
In this instance, these children were accused of hoisting Russian flags, deemed an act of terrorism. But does a credible security agency really need more than 24 hours to determine if they hoisted these flags? Yet, the Police, DSS, or AGF seek 60-day detention orders for “investigation.” Judges often grant these requests. I once saw a DSS lawyer request a renewal without knowing when the suspect was first detained or when the initial order expired. He didn’t show any previous orders or provide justifications, merely asking to extend detention until a special court could be established. Is this fair? Is this the intention of our Constitution or the Terrorism Prevention Act?
I believe the section of the Terrorism Prevention Act allowing indefinite detention without hearing the accused is absurd and must be amended or removed. If someone is to be detained, bring them to court with their lawyer and justify the detention. This should be reserved for rare, complex cases where time is genuinely needed to gather evidence, with a clear obligation to release the suspect if no evidence of guilt emerges and to compensate them for wrongful detention. Security officials who falsely accuse innocents of terrorism should also face consequences.
Without safeguards, the Police, DSS, and AGF can continue to press false terrorism charges and detain innocent people indefinitely without trial, accountability, or compensation.
Finally, I can hardly bear to discuss the 10 million naira bail set for children who protested because they had no food. Why not simply deny them bail?
P. D. Pius, Esq.
Abuja, Nigeria
contact@pdpiusandassociates.com
—
Let me know if you need further adjustments.