Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has handed over 76 minors arrested during the August #EndBadGovernance protests to their parents.
The governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Shehu Sagagi, performed the handover at the Muhammadu Buhari Specialist Hospital on Thursday, where the children were accommodated and treated for various ailments they suffered during their incarceration.
The minors, including at least 28 below 18 years, were arrested for their involvement in the October 1, 2024, #EndBadGovernance protest in Kano and Kaduna. Following public outcry, President Bola Tinubu ordered their immediate release. Vice President Kashim Shettima later handed them over to their governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
During the handover, Governor Yusuf commended President Tinubu for releasing the minors and urged their parents to support the government in ensuring they receive proper education.
He warned parents against soliciting financial assistance from individuals or organizations, stating that the government would not condone such acts.
“I want to call on parents to complement the government’s effort towards ensuring these children are properly educated, to enable them to contribute towards the development of the state and the country.
“Both the federal and state governments would take up the responsibility to ensure that our children are educated,” Yusuf said.
The Kano State Government has pledged to support the minors’ education, with the Commissioner for Education, Haruna Doguwa, announcing that one protester would be supported to complete his undergraduate studies, while another would be employed by the government. Eight protesters who completed secondary school education would also receive government support to further their studies.
“We have provided shoes and two sets of uniforms to support the 50 others to complete their secondary education,” he said.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Yusuf, said all those who came with one illness or the other had been treated in the hospital.
“The 76 minors who had been accommodated in this facility underwent a medical evaluation and received necessary treatment before being reunited with their families today,” he said.
Additionally, the founder of the Bafarawa Foundation, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, donated N50,000 each to the released protesters to support their education. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, confirmed that all the minors received medical treatment during their stay at the hospital.
Jerome Kalu
Jerome Kalu is currently the Senior Correspondent of PIJAlance in Lagos. He was previously the Campus Information Desk (CID) Editor.