A National Disgrace: The Incompetence and Abuse by Nigeria’s Police Prosecutors in Handling Juvenile Protesters

The handling of juvenile protesters by Nigeria’s police prosecutors, led by Federal Government counsel Rimazonte Ezekiel, has revealed a horrifying disregard for children’s rights, calling for immediate sanctions, firings, and a systemic overhaul of Nigeria’s juvenile justice system. Ezekiel’s attempts to justify the arraignment of minors at a federal court under the ludicrous claim that waving a Russian flag posed a threat to Nigeria’s democratic stability is a testament to the staggering incompetence and authoritarian approach of Nigeria’s legal apparatus. Such actions not only violate Nigerian law but also blatantly disregard the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and Nigeria’s own Child Rights Act, all of which mandate that minors receive specialized, compassionate handling in legal proceedings.

The horror of this situation is compounded by the three-month detention of these minors in adult police facilities, a practice that raises serious humanitarian concerns and demonstrates a chilling level of brutality. Detaining children in police cells for extended periods, depriving them of basic necessities, and isolating them from their families violates every recognized standard of juvenile justice. In any sane, democratic society, such treatment of children would be grounds for immediate removal and disciplinary action against the police force and judicial officials involved. International guidelines, as stipulated by the CRC and African Charter, require that minors be housed in juvenile facilities focused on education, counseling, and rehabilitation—not police cells intended for adults and rife with abuse.

Police Handling of Juveniles
The police are supposed to play a protective role when it comes to juveniles, setting the tone for how the justice system treats young offenders or children in conflict with the law. From the moment of apprehension, police officers are expected to ensure the well-being of minors, treating them with care and safeguarding their rights. The CRC and the African Charter emphasize that detention should be a last resort, used only for the shortest necessary period. Police are legally required to inform minors of their rights in language they can understand and notify parents or legal guardians immediately. Detention must take place in juvenile-specific facilities with adequate care, not in adult-oriented police cells, which have proven detrimental to the mental and emotional well-being of minors.

International standards further encourage police to seek alternative measures to detention, such as warnings or referrals to social services, whenever possible. If detention is unavoidable, it must be carried out in facilities that are specifically designed for juveniles and staffed by professionals trained in child psychology, counseling, and rehabilitation. These facilities are equipped with social workers, psychologists, and counselors who are prepared to handle the unique challenges young detainees face. By detaining minors in adult facilities for three months, Nigerian police not only ignored these principles but actively placed children in conditions that endangered their welfare.

Court Handling of Juveniles
When minors are brought into the court system, the principles of rehabilitation, privacy, and specialized care must be upheld. International standards, as well as Nigeria’s Child Rights Act, mandate that juvenile cases be heard in family or juvenile courts—not in adult courts. These specialized courts are designed to provide a safe, supportive, and less intimidating environment, staffed by judges, lawyers, and court personnel trained in child psychology and adolescent development. The goal in these cases is to understand the child’s background, address the root causes of their behavior, and provide guidance for rehabilitation, not punishment.

Juvenile courtrooms prioritize privacy, often holding closed sessions to protect the minor’s identity and reduce stigma. The emphasis is on restorative justice rather than punitive measures. Instead of prison sentences, juvenile courts generally opt for counseling, community service, or family intervention programs, allowing minors to learn from their mistakes without the long-term impact of a criminal record. Justice Obiora Egwuatu’s decision to hear these cases in a federal court, subjecting these minors to an adult-oriented judicial environment, blatantly ignored these standards and stripped the minors of their right to a rehabilitative process.

The Role of Rehabilitation and Family Involvement

Rehabilitation and family support are cornerstones of juvenile justice. The CRC, African Charter, and Nigeria’s Child Rights Act emphasize that juveniles must be afforded every opportunity for positive change. The justice system should work closely with social services to develop individualized rehabilitation plans, which may include counseling, educational programs, and community involvement. Such interventions build skills, confidence, and a sense of responsibility, enabling young offenders to reintegrate into society as constructive members.

Family involvement is equally critical, and a parent or guardian’s presence is often required at every stage of legal proceedings. In many cases, family-centered rehabilitation programs are implemented to address any underlying family issues that might be influencing the minor’s behavior. The Nigerian police and judiciary’s failure to notify families immediately and their prolonged isolation of these minors demonstrate a gross violation of these standards and reveal a system that punishes rather than supports its youth.

Ensuring Accountability and Legal Safeguards

Legal safeguards exist to protect minors at every stage of the judicial process, recognizing their vulnerability and developmental needs. Juveniles must have access to legal representation, and any statements obtained without a guardian or legal advocate present should be inadmissible. Excessive bail requirements are strictly discouraged, as juvenile detention should not be dictated by financial constraints. Instead, minors are often released into the custody of a parent or guardian, allowing for continuous family support and supervision.

In countries that adhere to the CRC and African Charter, the justice system prioritizes educating young offenders about the consequences of their actions in a way that fosters growth and accountability without harsh punishment. Legal professionals and law enforcement officers handling juvenile cases are held to high standards, ensuring that all actions align with the fundamental goal of safeguarding children’s rights. The Nigerian system’s failure to observe these protections has exposed these minors to irreparable harm, undermining the very principles of justice.

Nigeria’s Gross Violation of Juvenile Rights

The three-month detention of minors in adult police cells and their prosecution in a federal court constitute a flagrant violation of international and national standards for juvenile justice. Detaining children in facilities meant for adults, depriving them of family contact, food, and basic care is a blatant disregard for the CRC, African Charter, and Nigeria’s own Child Rights Act. Rather than providing guidance, support, and rehabilitation, Nigerian authorities have treated these minors as criminals and political scapegoats, stripping them of dignity and subjecting them to inhumane conditions. This approach is not only illegal but fundamentally inhumane, revealing a system that views children as expendable rather than individuals deserving of care and compassion.

The actions of police prosecutors, led by Rimazonte Ezekiel, and the failure of the Inspector General of Police to uphold juvenile protections reveal a deeply flawed and abusive system. Ezekiel’s misleading statements—denying the defendants’ status as minors and attempting to justify their criminalization over waving a foreign flag—demonstrate a deliberate attempt to sidestep the Child Rights Act. This blatant dishonesty and disregard for the truth display a disturbing willingness to punish young citizens rather than address their grievances with empathy.

The Inspector General of Police and Rimazonte Ezekiel must face immediate removal for their profound failures and abuses in handling the cases of these juveniles. Their blatant disregard for juvenile justice standards and the rights of children demands swift and unequivocal action. In any society committed to justice, such negligence and cruelty would lead to immediate accountability. Yet Nigeria has allowed this tragedy to unfold unchecked. The Nigerian government must now act decisively to restore faith in its justice system and protect its youngest citizens from further harm. Every juvenile case must be directed to family or juvenile courts where the focus is on rehabilitation and care, not punishment and intimidation.

President Bola Tinubu’s intervention to release the 29 minors facing the death penalty has exposed a shocking collapse in Nigeria’s law enforcement and judicial systems. That it required the president’s direct order to correct such a glaring injustice speaks volumes about the systemic deficiencies in Nigeria’s institutions. In a functioning democracy, the police and judiciary would not need executive intervention to act on principles of justice—they would recognize and uphold those standards autonomously. It is an indictment of Nigeria’s system that these officials waited for the president’s directive to do what was clearly right. They did not have to wait for presidential orders to know that prosecuting children as adults, detaining them under brutal conditions, and charging them with extreme offenses for peaceful protest was fundamentally wrong.

If the police and judiciary were fulfilling their responsibilities, if Nigeria’s democratic institutions genuinely worked, this presidential action would have been unnecessary. The urgency for comprehensive reform is undeniable; Nigeria must bring its legal system into alignment with its own laws and international commitments, protecting the rights and futures of its youth with integrity and compassion. Without decisive change, Nigeria risks eroding the very foundations of its democracy and condemning future generations to similar abuses.