Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has strongly criticized the increasing trend of charging protesters with treason in Nigeria. Falana made these remarks during a two-day international anti-corruption and climate change conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
This comes on the heels of the Federal Government’s arraignment of 10 leaders and organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protest, which took place from August 1st to 10th, 2024. The protesters, accused of treason among other charges, appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The defendants—Michael Adaramoye (also known as Lenin), Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaoluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis, and Abdulsalam Zubairu—pleaded not guilty to the six-count charges brought against them by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
According to the charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024, the accused face serious allegations, including treason, attempts to destabilize the country, intimidation of the President, and destruction of government properties in Kano.
The #EndBadGovernance protests, which gained widespread attention in August, were part of a broader movement calling for accountability and reforms in Nigeria’s governance.
Falana expressed deep concern over what he termed the “tribalisation” of treason, questioning why citizens exercising their right to protest are being charged with such a serious crime. “I have been under pressure in the last 24 hours from Nigeria and abroad. People are wondering why the charge of treason is being tribalized in our country. How can you say that because people protested, they are being charged with treason?” he said.
With a long history of defending individuals accused of treason, Falana reassured the public that there is no cause for alarm. He revealed that he has already taken up the latest case and intends to advise the government, particularly President Bola Tinubu, to instruct the police to withdraw the charges. “All those who have expressed concern, do not be bothered; there is no cause for alarm. We are taking up the case, and we are going to advise the government, particularly the President, to direct the police to withdraw the charge. And that advice is also in the interest of the government because a treason charge is not like a charge of stealing.”
Falana recalled previous instances where he successfully defended clients accused of treason, emphasizing that such charges should not be taken lightly. He warned that the misuse of treason charges could backfire on the government, as it has in the past. “This will be the fifth treason charge I am going to defend in our country. In the four previous cases, the government was compelled to withdraw the charges because we turned the case into the trial of the government,” he noted.
