The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has intervened in the ongoing legal proceedings against individuals arrested in connection with recent protests against poor governance.
The demonstrators, who have been charged with various offenses, including treason, were arraigned by the police in court, where they were ordered to remain in detention centers until the next hearing scheduled for January.
In a statement issued on 1 November, 2024, Fagbemi acknowledged the judicial decision to remand the defendants but expressed an intention to closely examine the case.
“My office will need to look into some issues regarding the matter so that I can make an informed decision,” he said.
While respecting the court’s authority, Fagbemi emphasized that he cannot alter its order of remand or the adjourned date, set for early next year.
“It is not within my power to vary the order of the court remanding the defendants in detention centers and adjourning the case to January,” he noted.
However, Fagbemi has directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file to his office, instructing that it be handed over to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) by Saturday, November 2.
The AGF then called on the DPPF to expedite preparations to request a reconsideration of the court’s schedule.
