#Endbadgovernance protesters arraigned in court for treason, remanded in Kuje prison

The Nigeria Police Force today September 2, arraigned ten Nigerians who participated in the End Bad Governance protest before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja. 

The protesters were arraigned on a six-count charge ranging from alleged treason, inciting mutiny and intent to destabilise Nigeria.

The ten persons arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court include Michael Adaramoye also known as Lenin, Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaoluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis and Aabdulsalam Zubairu.

In the six counts filed by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Federal Government also named a British citizen, Andrew Wynne, aka Andrew Povich, a defendant.

In the charge sheet marked, FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, the defendants were accused of  “treason, destabilising the country, intimidating the President and destroying the NCC in Kano,” among others. The IG specifically accused the protesters of acting in concert and conspiring, with the intention to destabilise the country, to commit a felony, to wit: treason, between July 1 and August 4, 2024.

Egbetokun said the offence was contrary to Section 95 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.

“Between 1 July 2024 and 4 August 2024, at Karshi Abuja FCT, within the jurisdiction of this court, while acting in concert and with intent to destabilise Nigeria, (defendants) conspired together to commit felony, to wit: Inciting to mutiny and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.”

The IG added that the protesters, between July 1, 2024, and August 10,  2024, in Abuja FCT, Kaduna, Kano and Gombe, in collaboration with Andrew  Wynne (aka Andrew Povich) a British Citizen, with the intent to destabilise  Nigeria, waged war against the state in order to intimidate or overawe the President by attacking and injuring police officers and burning police stations, High Court Complex, NCC Complex, Kano Printing Press, Government House Karo, Kadama Investment and Promotions Agency office, NURTW office and several other buildings. The police boss told the court that the offence was contrary to Section 410 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LEN 204.

Also, the defendants were accused of collaborating with Wynne, a British Citizen, with the intent to destabilise Nigeria, incited disaffection to the government by inciting public disturbance while carrying placards with the inscription ‘end bad government’ and several other inscriptions to incite disaffection to the government. The IG said they committed an offence contrary to Section 416 of the Penal Code (Northern States) Federal Provisions Act CAP P3 LFN 204.

The protesters pleaded not guilty to the charges. Justice Nwite then ordered the remand of some of the protesters at the Kuje Correctional Center in Abuja pending the hearing and ruling on their bail application slated for September 11, 2024. The judge also ruled that the female among them be remanded at the Keffi Correctional Center in Nasarawa state.