A civic advocacy group, Socialist Labour has called for the immediate dismissal of what it called “baseless and malicious” treason charges levelled against eleven Nigerian citizens arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protest in August 2024.
In a press briefing ahead of a solidarity rally planned for Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in Abuja, the group faulted the Nigerian government’s refusal to drop charges against the protesters, whom it described as “defenders of dignity, justice, and the right to a better life.”
“These Abuja 11 were part of the #EndBadGovernance protest that gave voice to the collective anger of millions of hungry people in early August last year,” the statement read.
“Rather than address these just demands, the state responded with intimidation, detention, and malicious charges, including the outrageous accusation of treason.”
The group noted that the #EndBadGovernance protests demanded concrete actions from the government, such as the payment of salary and pension arrears across states, reversal of tuition hikes, affordable education, reversal of petrol and electricity price hikes, and the end of exploitative levies on petty traders.