Overview

• A total of 119 individuals, including 29 children, were freed after being detained for their alleged involvement in anti-government protests.
• The protests in August, sparked by Nigeria's worsening cost-of-living crisis, led to charges of treason that carried potential death penalties.
• President Bola Tinubu ordered the release of all detained minors and dropped charges against them, responding to growing pressure from activists and civil society.
• The Nigerian police have initiated an investigation into the treatment of the minors while in custody, following reports of malnourishment and exhaustion.
• Lawyers and activists are now advocating for the rehabilitation and compensation of the released individuals by their respective state governments.