News
#EndBadGovernance Protests : CISLAC Says Detention of Minors Not Good for Nigeria’s Global Image, Urges Swift Release
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has strongly condemned the detention and reported maltreatment of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests.
“It is disturbing and damaging to Nigeria’s global image to witness such treatment of young citizens who were only exercising their constitutional rights,” said CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani.
In a position statement today, CISLAC called on First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu to intervene, urging her to see these young detainees as “her own children.”
CISLAC appealed to President Bola Tinubu to halt these actions by government officials, including the Minister of Justice, and to immediately order the release of the minors.
The organization further urged international bodies like UNICEF, the World Food Organization, the World Health Organization, and the Save the Children Foundation to join in condemning the incident and pressuring the Nigerian government for an unconditional release.
Said CISLAC: We expressed deep concern following reports that several detained children, some under the age of 15, collapsed due to malnutrition inside a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The minors have been held since August by the Nigerian police after participating in protests against worsening insecurity and deprivation in the country.
“The inhumane detention and maltreatment of these children must end. Anyone responsible for detaining these minors unjustly is the true criminal here, and this incident warrants urgent intervention.”
Images and videos from the courtroom, circulating widely on social media, depict the harrowing scenes of some minors lying on the floor as lawyers and others tried to revive them.
The incident occurred when the minors were brought to court from various police detention cells, where reports claim they were denied adequate food and medical care.
Sources allege that the prolonged detention and harsh conditions were intended to punish the minors, who have been accused of fighting the government despite the absence of credible evidence.
CISLAC called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take immediate action, advocating for the rights of the detained minors.
The organization further urged international bodies like UNICEF, the World Food Organization, the World Health Organization, and the Save the Children Foundation to join in condemning the incident and pressuring the Nigerian government for an unconditional release.
“Detaining these children under such appalling conditions is unconscionable,” said Rafsanjani.
“We are appealing to all responsible authorities to ensure their swift release and hold accountable those who orchestrated their detention. This incident stands as a dark stain on our national commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights.”
The minors were initially detained following a police order, which cited alleged involvement in a supposed plot to destabilize the government.
However, CISLAC and other rights groups argue that their detention violates both national and international human rights standards.
News
Burial begins for Oyo school teacher killed by JAS terrorist group
The deceased teacher is expected to be buried at his residence in the Owolake area of Ogbomoso.
The burial arrangements for Adesiyan Adegboye, the teacher killed during last Friday’s coordinated attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, began on Friday at Ayegun Baptist Church, Ogbomoso.
Adegboye, 49, was shot dead during the invasion carried out by armed bandits at Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School, Esiele.
The deceased teacher is expected to be buried at his residence in the Owolake area of Ogbomoso.
The attackers reportedly stormed the schools around 9:30am, abducting several teachers and students during the operation that threw the communities into panic.
Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, visited the affected area on Saturday and ordered the deployment of additional detectives from the Force Headquarters in Abuja to support ongoing rescue efforts.
News
FG launches GovGuideNigeria to boost citizens governance access
GovGuideNigeria platform is accessible through WhatsApp and the web, and is available in English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba to ensure wider accessibility for citizens across different linguistic backgrounds.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijan, has said that Nigerians can now access the government information and services through the newly launched GovGuideNigeria.
The artificial intelligence-powered platform was launched on May 21 by the government in collaboration with Meta, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), and local developer partner Publica AI.
According to the Minister, the platform is accessible through WhatsApp and the web, and is available in English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba to ensure wider accessibility for citizens across different linguistic backgrounds.
Tijani stated that the platform provides users with easy access to information from more than 35 federal ministries and over 60 government agencies.
He described the initiative as part of the government’s efforts to improve public service delivery through technology and digital innovation.
Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Meta, said during the launch “Meta’s open-source AI is critical to economic growth and productivity — and GovGuide Nigeria, is a clear example of what this looks like in practice.
Ignatius Willie, CEO, Publica AI said, “Today is not just a product launch. It is a step towards democratising how Nigerians engage with their government. With GovGuide Nigeria, we are not simply digitising access to public services; we are making them conversational, multilingual, and available on the channels Nigerians already use every day.
News
DHQ says JAS terrorists carried out Oyo kidnap
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it referred to terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
Photo: Maj Gen Michael Onoja
The Defence Headquarters disclosed that the attackers behind the Oyo abduction were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad terrorist group displaced by sustained military offensives across the country.
Latest week, schools in communities at Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, were attacked by terrorists ; they abducted pupils, teachers and other residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle.
The incident also left several persons dead, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed after a video linked to the attack surfaced online.
In a statement signed by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, the DHQ confirmed said that the attack was perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS Group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over the country.
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it referred to terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
“It is, therefore, inaccurate and misleading to suggest that the Defence Headquarters, at any point, referred to vicious and violent terrorists as criminals,” Onoja stated
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