At least 76 people in Nigeria, most of them minors, have appeared in court for an initial hearing on charges related to their alleged participation in protests in August, court documents released Friday showed.

The indictment stated that at least 29 children, aged between 14 and 17, were among those brought to court in the capital Abuja.

Anger at the prosecution of minors

The trial sparked a massive outcry in the country, with politicians such as Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso harshly criticizing the government.

Kwankwaso, the former defense minister and former governor of the country’s northern Kano state, wrote about X: “These children, clearly malnourished and in need of medical care, were subjected to a brutal experience when they should have been in school.”

“The detention of such numbers of minors in their own states is highly unusual and overrides any principles of protection of human rights and dignity,” he added.

Four of the minors who were taken to court collapsed in court due to fatigue before they could enter their defense in the courtroom.

Charges include treason

In the indictment, the defendants were accused of crimes such as treason, damage to property, public disturbance and rebellion.

The indictment stated that the suspects were investigated between July and August.

A human rights group told Reuters news agency that the minors had been detained by Nigerian police since August.

The minors were eventually released on bail and a trial date was set in January, their lawyers told Reuters.

If found guilty, they could face the death penalty.

Akintayo Balogun, a private lawyer based in Abuja, said the Child Rights Act does not allow any child to be subjected to criminal proceedings and sentenced to death.

Security forces accused of using excessive force during protests

Nigerian police say at least seven people died after protests against hunger and rising prices turned violent in some places.

Amnesty International’s Nigeria office said at least 20 people died in clashes with police.

Nigerian security forces have been accused of using excessive force during the protests.

Nigerian President calls for end to ‘bloodshed’

To view this video, please enable JavaScript and consider switching to a web browser with the following features: Supports HTML5 video

Thousands of people took to the streets of major cities such as Lagos and other major centers in the northern states to protest the West African country’s worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

Ordinary Nigerians are angry at President Bola Tinubu’s reforms to end fuel subsidies and devalue the local currency to encourage foreign investment.

rm/rmt (Reuters, AP)