Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Tuesday expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s directive ordering the release of minors detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Frank described the move as a positive step in the right direction, acknowledging the concerns of Nigerians and the international community over the treatment of these young detainees.
In a statement issued from Abuja, Frank commended the President for taking action to free the minors but emphasized that this should be just the beginning.
He called on President Tinubu to extend his directive to include all individuals who have been detained for exercising their constitutional right to protest against government policies, citing the President’s own history of involvement in pro-democracy protests, including during the 2012 fuel subsidy removal crisis.
“The President is known for having led and participated in protests during the pro-democracy struggle and the 2012 protests against the fuel subsidy removal.
It is only fair that he now extends this same compassion and understanding to those currently detained for peacefully protesting against bad governance,” Frank stated.
While welcoming the release of the minors, Frank also urged President Tinubu to address the root causes of the widespread protests by revisiting some of his controversial economic policies.
He specifically called for a reversal of the naira’s floating exchange rate and the complete removal of the fuel subsidy, policies which he argued have worsened the economic hardship faced by Nigerians.
Frank, however, reiterated his commitment to holding the President accountable, pledging to commend positive steps in governance and criticize policies that harm the well-being of Nigerians.
He further called for greater accountability within the nation’s security agencies, particularly the intelligence community, over the prolonged detention of the minors.
“The fact that minors were detained for over 90 days without intervention from the President’s office raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of our intelligence agencies,” Frank said. “We call for an investigation into this lapse and for the replacement of intelligence chiefs who failed to address this issue promptly.”
In his statement, Frank demanded that the probe into the arrests and detention of the minors begin with the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the state police commissioners responsible for the detentions in Kano and Kaduna.
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He also emphasized the importance of ensuring that the findings of the probe are made public, and that appropriate sanctions are applied to any officers found complicit in the unlawful detention.
Beyond the investigation, Frank recommended that the Federal Government provide compensation to the minors for the violation of their fundamental human rights and the trauma they suffered while in detention.
He suggested financial assistance for the families of the minors, as well as scholarships and enrolment in reputable schools to help them recover from the emotional and psychological impacts of their ordeal.
“The minors should also be given access to professional counseling services to help them overcome the trauma they have faced,” Frank added. “By taking these steps, we can begin to heal the wounds of the past and create a more just and compassionate society for all Nigerians.”
Frank concluded by stressing the importance of ensuring that the treatment of minors and other citizens during protests reflects the values of justice, fairness, and respect for human rights, which are essential to building a stronger and more democratic nation.