ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Twenty-nine children could face the death penalty in Nigeria after they were charged Friday for taking part in a protest against the country’s record cost of living crisis. Four of them collapsed in court from exhaustion before they could enter a plea.
A total of 76 protesters were charged with 10 crimes, including treason, destruction of property, disturbing the peace and mutiny, according to the charge sheet obtained by The Associated Press.
According to the indictment, the minors ranged in age from 14 to 17 years old.
Frustration over the cost of living has led to several mass protests in recent months. In August, at least 20 people were shot dead and hundreds more arrested during a protest demanding better opportunities and jobs for young people.
The death sentence was introduced in Nigeria in the 1970s, but no executions have taken place in the country since 2016.
Akintayo Balogun, a private lawyer based in Abuja, said the Child Rights Act does not allow any child to be subjected to criminal prosecution and sentenced to death.
“It is therefore wrong ab initio to bring minors before a federal high court unless the government can prove that the boys are all over 19 years old,” Balogun said.
The court eventually granted bail of 10 million naira ($5,900) to all the defendants and imposed strict conditions that they have yet to meet, said Marshal Abubakar, counsel for some of the boys.
“A country that has a duty to educate its children will decide to punish those children. These children have been stuck without food for 90 days,” Abubakar said.
Yemi Adamolekun, executive director of Enough is Enough, a civil society organization that promotes good governance in Nigeria, said authorities have no business persecuting children.
“The Chief Justice of Nigeria should be ashamed, she is a wife and a mother,” Adamolekun said.
Despite being one of the largest producers of crude oil in Africa, Nigeria remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Chronic corruption means that the lifestyle of its officials rarely reflects that of the general population. Medical professionals often strike in protest against meager wages.
The country’s politicians and lawmakers, often accused of corruption, are among the best paid in Africa. Even the president’s wife – her office is not mentioned anywhere in the Constitution – is entitled to SUVs and other taxpayer-funded luxuries.
Nigeria’s population of over 210 million people – the largest on the continent – is also among the hungriest in the world and the Nigerian government is struggling to create jobs. The inflation rate is also at a 28-year high and the local naira currency is at a record low against the dollar.
On Thursday, Nigeria was classified as a “hotspot of very high concern” in a report by the United Nations food agencies, as large numbers of people are facing or are expected to face critical levels of acute food insecurity in the West African country.
