Discharged protesters released to the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Uba Sani, have narrated how they survived on beans and garri during their 68 days stay at the Kuje prison in Abuja.
Recall that no fewer than 114 suspects arrested during the August #EndBadGovernance protests were on Tuesday released to the governors of Kano and Kaduna states by the Federal Government.
The detainees were released to the governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following their discharge by a Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Federal Government had dropped the treason charges against the defendants after the uproar that greeted their arraignment, especially minors among them.
Speaking to our correspondent after they were reunited with their families on Wednesday, Hassan Muhammad, a resident of Ghana road in Malali, Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state, said the experience was very bad.
He said, “I was arrested on 5th August, 2024 at Ahmadu Bello Way in Kaduna during the #EndBadGovernance protest. After our arrest, we were taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) where we gave our statements and from there, we were moved to the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
“We spent 18 days at the FCID after that, we were taken to Kuje Prison. We spent 68 days in the prison. It was a bad experience and the feeding was also bad. They were giving us beans and garri for the days we spent in the prison.”
Also speaking, Muhammad Abubakar from Zaria said he had learnt a valuable lesson with his arrest and detention, adding that the experience would be with him for a while.
The Commissioner Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Rabi Salisu, urged the discharged protesters to go back to their communities and engage in advocacy, sensitisation and peace building so that they could be better members of society.
She said the detainees, comprising 39 adults and two children, would be supported with empowerment and psychosocial service.