Youth Rights Campaign Demands Release Of Musician, Seun Kuti From Detention, Says Police Trial Is Political

The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), a civil society group,  has demanded for the immediate release of the Nigerian afrobeat singer, Seun Kuti.

They demanded for Seun’s release from detention of the Nigeria Police Force, saying that he has fulfilled his bail conditions.

The group, noting that Kuti’s trial is politically motivated, also demanded an appropriate reprimand for the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin and other officers who, according to the YRC, had violated the law in their attempt to nail Seun.

The group which made the demand in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Michael Adaramoye Lenin and the National Secretary, Francis Nwapa, described Seun’s ordeal with the police as a witch hunt and demanded a fair trial for him “if truly the police have a genuine case.”

The YRC noted that “The ongoing trial of Seun Kuti for alleged assault of a policeman has turned to a political trial and vendetta that threatens the rights of all. We aver that the police authorities have broken so many laws and committed several infractions in their frenzy to nail Seun Kuti that this trial no more measures up to what any reasonable person can regard as a fair trial.

“In particular, we condemn the vengeful and unprofessional approach of the Police PRO, Benjamin Hundeyin and demand appropriate reprimand for him and other officers who have broken several laws in their attempts to nail Seun including subjecting him to an unfair media trial without allowing the court to do its job.

“Seun Kuti, a radical musician and son of legendary musician and social crusader, the late Fela Anikulapo kuti, was taken into custody after he turned himself in on Monday 15 May 2023, charged to court and remanded over an altercation with a policeman on Saturday May 13, 2023 on the Third Mainland Bridge.

“Also, the police have so far treated Seun unprofessionally and viciously with a view to humiliate him thereby violating the principles of natural justice which stipulates that an accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. For instance, Seun was handcuffed despite the fact that he peacefully turned himself in in violation of Section 5 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.”

According to YRC, Seun was also “paraded before media cameras in apparent violation of Section 9 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which prohibits any form of a parade of criminal suspects in the state.

“Seun has been starved while in detention while the police have gone ahead to search his home over an alleged crime he committed several kilometers from his home and in broad daylight.

“In continuation of their acts of desperation and vengeance, the Police also today May 18 re-arraigned Seun in court without his lawyers and despite having been released on bail by Magistrate effective from today. The police were able to procure a black market order in the absence of Seun’s lawyers to extend his detention till Monday.

“This is clearly an effort to manufacture new charges against Seun and it shows that what is on trial in this case goes beyond Seun’s alleged action of May 13. As far as all can see, what is on trial in this case is Seun’s role as an activist and prominent critic of the State and government, especially his support for the struggles of youth in October 2020 against police brutality and State oppression.

“The police clearly want to use Seun Kuti to send a message to the labour and youth movement and this is why it is now a political trial aimed at getting back at those who have regularly called out the police institution for its act of impunity against the Nigerian people.

“Although we do not condone violence, it cannot but be noted that by their conduct so far in this case, the police authorities have actually confirmed why many Nigerians who have had any encounter with the police institution often hate the police and feel motivated to attack its personnel. This is because the police are a vicious, oppressive institution of the State that regularly extorts, oppresses, beats, kills and humiliates ordinary Nigerians and youth on a daily basis.”

“In the light of the unfair trial of Seun Kuti and the clear desperation by the police to unjustly incarcerate him, the YRC demands his immediate release having already met his bail condition.

“Also importantly, given the continuous acts of oppression and extortion by the police of ordinary Nigerians, we urge youth groups and activists to come together to discuss what needs to be done to reignite a mass movement with peaceful protests and demonstrations to begin to demand once again an end to police brutality and state oppression.”