The case against 76 individuals charged in connection with the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest was on Tuesday dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu, dismissed the case following a motion by the Attorney General of the Federation’s counsel, M.D. Abubakar. The AGF is seeking to take over and discontinue the proceedings.
Representing the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, invoked the Attorney General’s powers under Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to assume control of the case from the Inspector General of Police, IGP.
Upon approving this request, Justice Egwuatu granted the AGF’s subsequent request under the same constitutional provision to discontinue the prosecution of the 119 defendants.
With no objections raised by the defense counsels, Justice Egwuatu struck out the charges. He also ordered the immediate release of the defendants from custody, though they were not present in court.
This decision follows President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the AGF on Monday to terminate proceedings against the defendants.
Recall that most of the defendants are minors and therefore legally barred from such trials.
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