Anita Ogona
A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out the suit against 76 persons charged over the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest.
The trial judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, struck out the suit following an application by the counsel to the Attorney General of the Federation, M. D Abubakar, to take over and discontinue the suit.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, who was represented by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) Mohammed Abubakar had at the proceedings announced the exercise of his power of section 174 of the 1999 Constitution to take over the case from the Inspector General of Police.
After granting the request by Justice Egwuatu, the AGF proceeded to request the invocation of the same section of the Constitution to discontinue the trial of the 119 accused persons.
Following no objections to the request from various lawyers representing the accused persons, Justice Egwuatu granted the request and struck out the charges.
Although the accused persons were not in court, the judge ordered their immediate release from prison.
President Bola Tinubu had on Monday directed the AGF to terminate the charges against the accused persons, most of who are said to be minors and prohibited by law from facing such trial.
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