Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, has clarified that individuals under the age of seven are exempt from being charged to court.
In an interview with Channels TV, Adejobi addressed the controversy surrounding the arraignment of 67 minors in Abuja for alleged treason and destruction of public property during the End Bad Governance protest.
Adejobi emphasized that anyone above seven years old can be held criminally liable and charged to court if found guilty. However, specific procedures must be followed. He noted that the youngest of the accused is 13 years old, and according to the Children and Young Persons Act, minors can still be charged to court.
As Adejobi explained, “Those that are not criminally liable under the law, those are the ones that are below the age of seven. Once you are more than seven, you can be charged to court… The fact that you are a 13-year-old doesn’t mean you cannot be charged to court.” The police have taken action on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, charging the minors to court.
