Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday delivered a landmark judgment, striking out all treason and terrorism-related charges filed against 11 protesters arrested during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.

The ruling resulted in the complete acquittal of the defendants, who had spent months facing prosecution over allegations security agencies previously described as threats to national security. Activist Adaramoye Michael Lenin hailed the judgment as a “historic victory.”

Lenin, one of the acquitted protesters, wrote on Facebook shortly after the ruling:

“Historic victory today! Justice Emeka Nwite struck out the treason and terrorism charges against 11 EndBadGovernance protesters and acquitted all of us.”

---

Background

The #EndBadGovernance protests erupted across several Nigerian cities in August 2024, fuelled by public anger over worsening insecurity, inflation, harsh economic conditions, and concerns about governance under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The demonstrations, reminiscent of the 2020 #EndSARS uprising, were largely peaceful. However, security agencies responded with mass arrests, accusing some protesters of attempting to destabilise the country.

The 11 protesters—Adaramoye Micheal Lenin, Daniel Akande, Mosiu Sodeeq, Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaluwa Elego Simeon, Angel Love Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Basir Bello, Nurudeen Khamis, and Abdulsalam Zubairu—were subsequently charged with treasonable felony, unlawful assembly, and alleged links to terrorist activities.

Civil society organisations, however, criticised the charges as baseless, politically motivated, and part of a wider attempt to silence dissent. Human rights groups repeatedly called for the release of the protesters, insisting that peaceful protest is a constitutional right.

After months of pressure from activists, legal advocacy groups, and the public, the court ultimately struck out the charges, bringing an end to what many described as an unjust prosecution.