Nigeria’s president has ordered the immediate release of a group of young people accused of treason, after footage of some of them collapsing in court sparked outrage.
The 27 teenagers – among 76 suspects detained for months following their arrest in anti-government protests – are aged between 14 and 18.
Bola Tinubu directed officials to release them after four collapsed during their first court appearance on Friday, apparently due to malnourishment.
Viral videos of them writhing in pain before being taken for medical treatment sparked a renewed debate over their treatment by authorities in Nigeria, as well as the length of their detention.
The suspects had been in custody for nearly three months after participating in the #EndBadGovernance protests which swept the country in August over a deepening cost of living crisis.
Source:BBC
