Heavily Armed forces present at Protesters court trial

In accordance with the Take-It-Back Movement’s plan to seize the building on Monday, armed security guards, comprising members of the Nigerian Army, police, and Department of State Services (DSS), have been stationed at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja. The pro-democracy and human rights group TIB Movement said on Sunday that on Monday, it would hold a solidarity meeting at the Federal High Court in Abuja to demand the immediate release of the protestors facing charges under the #EndBadGovernance movement.

It declared in a statement issued on their X account that its members would support the arrested demonstrators by occupying the court premises beginning at 7 a.m.
The broader public was invited by the group to attend the event and show support for the cause. Michael Adaramoye, popularly known as Michael Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq, Angel, and Opaoluwa, who were detained for taking part in the rallies and calling for an end to hunger and decent government, are among the protest leaders who are still in custody. The activists were scheduled to appear in court on Monday, but it was learned that their attorneys were not notified.

On Monday, the #EndBadGovernance protesters’ arraignment was apparently postponed by the Nigeria Police Force, which was criticized by the TIB Movement. When SaharaReporters arrived to the court on Monday, they saw that five military armored personnel carriers and no less than thirty Hilux security cars were positioned all around the court grounds to keep additional activists who planned to swarm the court in support from approaching the location. In advance of the trial, there was a noticeable high level of security surrounding the court, with officers in both uniform and plainclothes stationed at strategic points both inside and outside the building.

Upon closer examination, it was discovered that the matter was not listed on the cause lists of Courts 9 or 10, which are vacation courts. Although they were uncertain of the substance of the case, a court insider who requested to remain nameless stated that it will be heard in Court 10. At the court, activist Omole Ibukun called for the end of the excessive military presence, denouncing it as undemocratic. He attacked the government for holding covert trials of defenseless Nigerians who were nonviolently calling for action to solve the urgent problems of hunger, corruption, and insecurity that beset the nation.

Ibukun said, “We came to the court today because we heard that some of the protesters who were arrested from the North were brought to Abuja alongside Michael Lenin, Mosiu Sodiq, Angel Opeoluwa and others who were abducted in the middle of the night by the officers from the Office of National Security Adviser.

“We heard that they will bring them this morning and we heard the same information on Thursday and nothing happened.

“But they have sent information to our lawyers that they are no longer bringing them today. It only shows that we are right that protest is not a crime. The constitution did not take away the freedom of protest from any Nigerian.

“So the fact that they are not bringing today is a sign that they want to demobilize our solidarity and we ask Nigerians at home not to be demobilized.

“We must prepare to come out come out anytime to join this #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria and hardship protest.

“We also have information that they will still bring them today.
As you can see, the DSS, Police, and Army have a large number of security trucks and vehicles. Additionally, they have requested that the vacation judge be available for one particular case, but they have not disclosed the details of the case to anyone. It indicates that a covert trial of nonviolent protesters is being planned.