Concerned Nigerians are signing a petition to appeal to Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, to stop the trial of the children unjustly arrested for treason after the #EndBadGovernance protest.

Published via Change.org and started on Saturday, the signatories have expressed grave concern for the welfare of these children, who currently face severe legal repercussions.

“We appeal to your moral authority to end this crisis swiftly and decisively, reminding you of the sacred duty to defend the vulnerable and uphold justice, especially for our nation’s children,” reads part of the petition.

READ MORE: Atiku, Obi, CSOs Condemn Inhumane Treatment of Detained Minors, Demand Release

The petitioners noted that the arraignment of children in court and their collapsing before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, the judge who sets each child’s bail, which runs into millions, violates Nigeria’s laws and international obligations to protect the rights and dignity of children.

Showing the extent of the cruel treatment inflicted on the children, the undersigned reminded the President that, despite the hallmarks of repression and injustice that marked the General Sani Abacha regime, he did not subject children to the inhumane treatment these minors are experiencing.

“It pains us to see actions under your administration echoing a more brutal past, and we believe that you, like us, would not want the legacy of this administration to be tainted by the suffering of our youth,” the petitioners wrote.

READ ALSO: IGP Egbetokun to Arraign 28 More Children in Court as #EndBadGovernance Protesters

“We trust that you may not be fully aware of the scale of this wrongdoing, and we are certain this suffering is not something you would knowingly condone. We believe this heartbreaking reality results from decisions made by officials acting without your awareness. We appeal to your compassion and faith to halt this situation immediately.

“We plead with you to end this mistreatment, ensure the immediate release of detained children, and protect the rights of all citizens to express their views peacefully. Our nation looks to your leadership to uphold these values and to build a legacy of humanity, not one marked by oppression. We believe you have the power to right this wrong and affirm our nation’s commitment to justice, freedom, and compassion.”

Many influential Nigerians have publicly condemned the treatment of the boys. Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential candidate, and Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, along with organisations such as Amnesty International, Enough Is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, and Hope Behind Bars Africa have condemned the treatment and called for their release.

READ MORE: VIDEO: Child IGP Egbetokun Arraigned Over #EndBadGovernance Protest Slumps in Court

One of the children slumped and lost consciousness inside the courtroom of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday morning.

Earlier, FIJ reported that Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), had charged no fewer than 22 minors with terrorism after the protest in August. Egbetokun also secured remand warrants to keep them in custody for over 60 days.

In court documents from September marked FHC/ABJ/CS/503/2024, more children were set for arraignment.

On Saturday, Lateef Fagbemi, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, directed the police to transfer the #EndBadGovernance protesters’ case file to his office.