Treason Charge: No law in this country says a minor cannot be tried – AGF
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has defended the treason charge filed against minors involved in the recent EndBadGovernance protests across Nigeria.
According to Vanguard, the AGF stated that no Nigerian law prevents the prosecution of minors. He clarified that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to halt further legal action against the teenagers was based solely on compassionate grounds.
“No law in this country says a minor cannot be tried, and I have also heard suggestions that they should go to a family court. The study of the law and the constitution leaves you no other conclusion than that the federal high court has jurisdiction in matters bordering on treason and related issues. So, whatever the situation, the president has closed the chapter by his decision to have these young men released.
The president was very compassionate; he is a father and a grandfather. If you look at the facts in the possession of the security agency, you would marvel.
But the president said, despite all this, ‘I have children and grandchildren,’ and that motivated his passion to release them and also enable them in some ways. So the credit goes to him (the President) for showing compassionate consideration in releasing the young chaps” the AGF said
