Popular Abuja-based radio station, Human Rights Radio, has temporarily shut down its operations in protest to the arraignment of minors involved in the August #EndBadGovernance protests in some parts of the country.
The radio station’s founder and human rights advocate, Ahmad Isah, a.k.a Ordinary President, who hosts the popular daily human rights breakfast show, “Berekete Family”, ordered the closure of the radio station over the alleged maltreatment of the children, which has since sparked outrage among human rights advocates and listeners of the radio station.
“I am deeply shocked and angered by the plight of these children,” Isah said during a live call-in to the programme at about 8:20 am on Monday. “In protest, we are shutting down the station until further notice as a stand against this injustice.”
The shutdown is expected to last until Tuesday when Human Rights Radio will resume to address the issue before going off-air again on Wednesday to allow for listener feedback on the matter.
The arraignment of the 67 suspects, largely minors before a Federal High Court in Abuja last week, has led to intense criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the Nigeria Police Force authorities, especially after about five of them collaged during the court proceedings and images of the scene went viral, prompting widespread condemnation of the government’s response to the protests.
The situation has continued to raise questions about how authorities are handling the rights of children.
