29 Nigerian children may be sentenced to death for protesting against cost-of-living crisis

ABUJA, Nigeria -- Twenty-nine children could beryllium facing nan decease punishment successful Nigeria aft they were arraigned Friday for participating successful a protestation against nan country’s grounds cost-of-living crisis. Four of them collapsed successful tribunal owed to exhaustion earlier they could participate a plea.

A full of 76 protesters were charged pinch 10 felony counts, including treason, demolition of property, nationalist disturbance and mutiny, according to nan complaint expanse seen by The Associated Press.

According to nan complaint sheet, nan minors ranged successful property from 14 to 17 years old.

Frustration complete nan cost-of-living situation has led to respective mass protests successful caller months. In August, at slightest 20 people were changeable dormant and hundreds much were arrested astatine a protestation demanding amended opportunities and jobs for young people.

The decease condemnation was introduced successful nan 1970s successful Nigeria, but location person been nary executions successful nan state since 2016.

Akintayo Balogun, a backstage lawyer based successful Abuja, said nan Child Rights Act does not let immoderate kid to beryllium taxable to criminal proceedings and sentenced to death.

“So taking minors earlier a national precocious tribunal is wrong, ab initio, isolated from if nan authorities is capable to beryllium that nan boys are each supra 19 years,” Balogun said.

The tribunal yet granted 10 cardinal naira ($5,900) bail to each nan defendants and imposed stringent conditions they are yet to meet, Marshal Abubakar, counsel to immoderate of nan boys, said.

“A state that has a work to amended its children will determine to punish those children. These children person been successful detention for 90 days without food,” Abubakar said.

Yemi Adamolekun, executive head of Enough is Enough, a civilian nine statement promoting bully governance successful Nigeria, said authorities person nary business prosecuting children.

“The main justness of Nigeria should beryllium ashamed, she is simply a female and a mother,” Adamolekun said.

Despite being 1 of nan apical crude lipid producers successful Africa, Nigeria remains 1 of nan world’s poorest countries. Chronic corruption intends the manner of its nationalist officials seldom mirrors that of nan wide population. Medical professionals often onslaught to protestation meager wages.

The country's politicians and lawmakers, often accused of corruption, are immoderate of nan best-paid successful Africa. Even nan president’s woman — her agency obscurity successful nan constitution — is entitled to SUVs and different luxuries funded by taxpayers.

Nigeria’s organization of complete 210 cardinal group — nan continent’s largest — is besides among nan hungriest successful nan world and its authorities has struggled to create jobs. The ostentation complaint is besides astatine 28-year precocious and nan section naira rate astatine grounds lows against nan dollar.

On Thursday, Nigeria was classified arsenic a “hotspot of very precocious concern,” successful a report from United Nations’ nutrient agencies, arsenic ample numbers of group are facing aliases are projected to look captious levels of acute nutrient insecurity successful nan West African country.