Nigeria charges anti-government protesters with treason

Actions of protesters tantamount to incitement of military to overthrow democratic government, according to state prosecutor

Nigeria on Monday charged 10 people who participated in the anti-government protests held nationwide last month with treason.

The 10 protesters were charged before a Federal High Court in Abuja, the country's capital, by the government barely a month after their arrest by the police.

A state prosecutor said in the charge sheet the actions of the protesters during the Aug. 1-10 protests were tantamount to treason and incitement of the military to overthrow the democratic government, local media reported.

Lawyers to the protesters asked the court to grant the accused (protesters) bail before the opening of the trial on Sept. 11.

The judge, however, ordered that the protesters be remanded in a prison at the nation's capital pending the determination of the bail application scheduled for Sept. 11.

Thousands of youths, activists, and lawyers held 10 days of nationwide protests against the high cost of living, economic hardship, and insecurity in the West African nation despite several appeals by President Bola Tinubu. The protests later degenerated into violence and vandalization of public buildings.

Nearly 2,000 protesters were arrested during and after the protests, according to the police.