This isn’t a real place
Nigeria is detaining minors, accusing them of acting drama for attention
Good morning, Big Brains. I hope you had exciting memories over the weekend. I took one of the biggest steps I’ve ever taken in my life and like America, I’m waiting to know what my life will look like when the results of that decision come in. I’m not the best at waiting but putting on my big girl pants over the weekend gave me some sort of confidence for the new week.
- Margaret
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This Week’s Big Question - “If you could be guaranteed success at just one thing in life, what would you choose?” Share your responses with us and if we think they’re fun enough, we’ll feature them in the newsletter :) so be on the lookout.
Let’s get into the news you missed during the weekend:
Nigeria has pulled a “maybe” on the release of arraigned minors
You’re saying hello to your new ministers today
Trump and Harris are going neck for neck
The Big Deal
Nigeria has pulled a “maybe” on the release of arraigned minors
The beginning of a new month is typically a pretty day but November 1 showed us what would go down in history books as one of the ugliest sides of Nigeria and the Tinubu-led administration.
If you’re not sure what we’re talking about, here’s a little backstory. During the #EndBadGovernance protests that took place in August, the federal government ordered the arrest of about 1,200 protesters. 76 of these arrested protesters, mainly children, appeared in the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 1, for arraignment. They weren’t there for any light charges; they were accused of committing treason and conspiracy to destabilise Nigeria—a serious charge under Section 96 of the Nigerian constitution, punishable by Section 97 of the Penal Code.
At least 67 of these arraigned protesters were kids, and they looked more malnourished than dangerous. Some were so weak they couldn’t even stand. Four collapsed right there in the courtroom, a sight that has been heavily criticised by Nigerians.
But despite the criticism from Nigerians, Justice Obiora Egwuatu who was in charge of the case attached a ₦10 million bail to their freedom which is crazy considering the fact that some of these kids are as young as 14.
Now, the Nigeria Police Force seems to think they’ve cracked the case of courtroom fainting, claiming that the minors who collapsed during Friday's arraignment were just putting on a show to make Nigerians feel bad for them.
On a brighter note, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), is considering dropping the charges against them. Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has also pledged to bring home the kids from his state who found themselves on the wrong side of the courtroom.
Why is this a big deal?
The Nigerian Police Force accusing these kids of throwing a pity party reflects poorly on the country. There’s nothing ordinary about children facing adult charges and being kept away from what kids their age should be doing. With or without the fainting part, everything about this situation is against the law.
The Nigerian Constitution and the Child Rights Act don’t stutter on this point: kids are not to be treated like adults, especially not for protesting. Yet here we are, watching minors endure a harsh reality that most children will (hopefully) never experience.
Section 34 of the Constitution promises everyone, especially minors, the right to dignity and freedom from cruel treatment. The Child Rights Act, inspired by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, says detaining children should be a last resort and, even then, only for the shortest possible time. As a UN signatory, Nigeria committed to giving minors a chance at rehabilitation—not punishment. The law even insists on separate facilities for minors and juvenile courts focusing on reform rather than punishment.
So, with all of this clearly stated as law, it seems rather rhetorical that the best Nigerians have gotten out of this situation so far is a “maybe we’ll release them soon”. Literally, God abeg!
You’re saying hello to your new ministers today
Unless there’s a last-minute change, President Bola Tinubu will swear in seven new ministers later today at the State House in Abuja’s Council Chamber.
If you need a little refresher, the president sacked five ministers on Wednesday, October 23 based on performance assessment, announced their replacements almost immediately, nominated seven new ministers and reshuffled 10 ministers. But things are finally becoming official today for the newly nominated ministers that are taking on new roles.
Bianca Ojukwu has been named the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Nentawe Yilwatda is the new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
The President also nominated Maigari Dingyadi as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole as the Minister of Industry, Idi Maiha as the Minister for the newly established Livestock Development Ministry, Yusuf Ata as the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Suwaiba Ahmad as the Minister of State for Education.
Some prominent Nigerians like former presidential aspirant Chief Charles Udeogaranya, are still not sold on these new ministers. Udeogaranya said the reshuffle was poorly targeted and claimed it would do nothing to help the country’s economy. In his own words - “I’m concerned that President Tinubu’s economic team isn’t even brainstorming. I, therefore, urge him to overhaul, reshuffle, and inject fresh talent with strong leadership skills into his economic team if he genuinely seeks a better economy for Nigeria and Nigerians.”
The whole point of a cabinet reshuffle is to find better hands to do the job, so feel free to hold the new ministers to a high standard. We’re not sure whether they’ll live up to the expectations, but you know what they say about time. We’ll definitely see how it turns out.
Trump and Harris are going neck for neck
With just one day until the U.S. presidential election, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are going neck for neck in the seven states that could make or break their presidential dreams. The latest New York Times/Siena College poll shows that Harris is leading slightly in Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, while Trump is slightly up in Arizona. As for Michigan, Georgia, and Pennsylvania? Those ones are finders keepers for now – may the best man/woman win.
We don’t expect you to put your money on the election results because the race is so close that the poll can’t really say who’s in the lead. About 40% of voters have already voted, and Harris is leading among those early voters by 8 points. But Trump is more popular with people who say they plan to vote soon but haven’t done it yet.
Right now, Pennsylvania kinda has the power to determine who’s going to be America’s new president. Harris used to have a solid lead there, but Trump is climbing up the vote ladder, and now they’re practically tied. Both candidates worked harder than the devil this weekend because the last-minute votes effort could work in either Trump's or Harris’ favour.
The U.S. election might not be your cup of tea but the winner could go a long way in determining some parts of Nigeria’s future too . If Kamala Harris becomes president, she’s been positioning herself as a business-friendly candidate, and that could lead to more money flowing into up-and-coming markets like Nigeria. If Trump becomes president, the dollar could get stronger because of expected policies like high tariffs. That might make naira lose more value.
Again, may the best man or woman win.
The Big Picks
FG Releases Funds For Payment of NASU Salaries: The Federal Government has released funds to pay the withheld salaries of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Federal Universities (NASU).
Guinea’s Junta Chief Promotes Himself To Army General: Guinea’s junta leader, Mamadi Doumbouya, has promoted himself to the rank of army general as the country celebrates the establishment of its strong military.
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