The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) has called on the Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umar Radda, and the state’s Commissioner of Police to immediately release all detained #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters and drop the charges against them. This request was made in a statement issued on Wednesday by the YRC’s National Secretary, Francis Nwapa.
The group strongly condemned the ongoing persecution of the protesters by Governor Radda and the Katsina Police, describing it as an unjustifiable action. According to the YRC, the detained protesters have appeared in court on four occasions without being put on trial. Nwapa emphasized that the authorities continue to use the judiciary to delay proceedings by repeatedly adjourning the case without any progress.
In the statement, Nwapa detailed the events surrounding the detention of the protesters. He mentioned that Gaddafi Musa, one of the activists, was invited by the DPO of the CPS Police Station in Funtua on August 2, 2024. Upon honoring the invitation, he was immediately detained and transferred to the DSS custody in the state capital, where he joined seven other activists, including Kabir Shehu Yandaki, Habibu Mukhtar Ruma, and others who had traveled from different parts of Katsina State to respond to the DSS summons.
These eight individuals were held in DSS detention for four days before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, where they spent another four days. They were eventually arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court 1 on charges including Criminal Conspiracy, Inciting Disturbance, Rioting, and Brigandage, and remanded in prison, where they stayed for up to 45 days.
Nwapa also revealed that over 80 #EndBadGovernance protesters had been arrested across the state and sent to prison. While some protesters were able to secure bail through their lawyers, others, such as Umar Mohammed, remain in detention because they cannot meet bail conditions.
Those released on bail, according to Nwapa, have faced threats from the government and police, warning them that participating in the October 1st protest would lead to the revocation of their bail and a return to prison. The latest court hearing for this case took place on December 10, 2024, but was adjourned until February 27, 2025. Many of the protesters have to travel long distances to attend these hearings, often struggling to afford transportation.
The YRC strongly condemned the use of state resources to oppress Nigerians peacefully demanding good governance. Nwapa concluded by demanding the immediate withdrawal of all charges against the protesters and their unconditional release. The YRC also called for an end to the harassment and suppression of Nigerians who wish to protest against bad governance, urging a united struggle among young people and workers against the policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
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