The Lygel Youths and Leadership Initiatives has called for the immediate resignation of Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, due to the recent detention and prosecution of minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protest.
The organization, through its Director of Legal Compliance, Lekan Oladapo, issued a statement at a press conference in Abuja, voicing deep concerns over the police’s actions. Oladapo warned that if the Inspector General does not step down, the group will take legal action to determine whether Egbetokun has violated the Child’s Rights Act.
Oladapo expressed alarm at what he described as a troubling trend in which the police force is being used to infringe on the rights of Nigerian minors. He condemned the treatment of these children, describing their arrest, detention, and courtroom appearances under poor conditions as both unlawful and senseless.
He further criticized the police response to the situation, labeling it an insult to the intelligence of the Nigerian public and a blatant disregard for the protection of children’s rights. According to Oladapo, the rights of minors are unequivocally protected by Section 11 of the Child’s Rights Act and Section 34 of the Nigerian Constitution, making their violation in this context unacceptable.
