Human rights lawyer Femi Falana criticized the recent treason charges against minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protests, calling the move unwarranted.
In August, authorities detained several children in northern Nigeria who were seen raising Russian flags and subsequently brought them before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Following widespread public criticism, President Bola Tinubu’s administration withdrew the charges on humanitarian grounds.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana argued that displaying foreign flags is not a crime in Nigeria.
He pointed out that many hotels and large churches also raise flags from other countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel, without legal consequences.
“It’s not a crime to raise any country’s flag here. Hotels display flags from the U.S. and U.K. for international appeal,” he stated.
“Some churches, mistakenly thinking Israel is a Christian nation, raise its flag. This isn’t illegal.”
Asked about protesters’ demands for the president’s resignation, Falana clarified that such expressions don’t amount to treason.
He noted that a democratic government should have addressed the protesters’ concerns rather than charging them with treason.
“If people ask a democratically elected government to step down, that’s just expressing a view,” Falana said, adding that the military responded appropriately by reaffirming loyalty to the Constitution and the president.
“The government should have addressed the underlying issues instead of pursuing charges,” he concluded.