Amnesty International has accused the Borno State Government of conducting a “sham trial” after seven Nigerian teenagers and youths received harsh sentences for participating in last year’s #EndBadGovernance protests.

The global rights watchdog revealed the development in a statement on Thursday, August 21, through its official X (formerly Twitter) account.

According to Amnesty, the convicted youths, aged between 15 and 17 years, faced charges from Governor Babagana Zulum’s administration for forming a protest group on WhatsApp.

The Borno High Court sentenced the young Nigerians to five years in prison, public flogging, and community service.

Amnesty strongly condemned the punishment, describing it as outrageous and an attempt to crush dissent among the youth.

“Right now, seven persons languish in jail in Maiduguri, Borno State, after being convicted to, among others, five years in prison over #EndBadGovernance protests,” the group declared.

Amnesty further argued that the charges made no sense. The state accused the teenagers of creating a WhatsApp group named Zanga Zanga to mobilize protests against the government.

The government also alleged that the youths “agreed to take up arms against the state.” Amnesty dismissed these claims as bizarre and fabricated.

The convicted youths include Mohammed Ali, Mohammed Gajimi (alias Bakura, 17), Muhammed Mustapha (alias Gudusu, 14), Muhammed Mustapha (alias Abbas, 15), Muhammed Kyari (alias Mome), Muhammed Bukar (alias Awana), and Ibrahim Muhammed (alias Babayo).

“These outrageous convictions are a blatant attempt to silence young voices,” Amnesty said.

“Clearly, this serves as a threat to any young person who dares to stand up against injustice and corruption. These youths have done absolutely nothing wrong.”

The organization demanded that the Borno government immediately quash the convictions and unconditionally release the seven detainees.

It also urged Nigerian authorities to respect citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The #EndBadGovernance protests erupted nationwide between August 1 and 10, 2024, driven mainly by young Nigerians frustrated with worsening economic hardship, rising food costs, corruption, and insecurity.

What started as small gatherings in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, and Abuja soon spread to other states, including Borno, despite heavy security deployment.

Protesters adopted hashtags such as #EndBadGovernance, #EndHunger, and #EndCorruption to mobilize online.

Human rights organizations documented violent crackdowns by security agents during the protests.

Amnesty International reported that at least 24 people died after police and soldiers used live ammunition on demonstrators.

Despite these reports, President Bola Tinubu’s government insisted that “subversive elements” hijacked the protest to destabilize Nigeria.

Civil society groups rejected this claim and accused the administration of criminalizing peaceful dissent.

Senators, activists, and rights defenders have raised concerns that the conviction of the seven Borno youths signals a dangerous escalation in government suppression of free speech.

Observers argue that punishing teenagers for expressing frustration on WhatsApp reveals how far Nigerian authorities are willing to go to silence critics.

For Amnesty, the case highlights the shrinking space for peaceful protest in Nigeria. The group reiterated that jailing and flogging young people for voicing dissatisfaction only deepens mistrust between citizens and the government.

As the seven convicted youths remain behind bars, rights defenders continue to demand their freedom.

For many Nigerians, the Borno case represents more than just a local trialit underscores the broader struggle between young citizens seeking change and a government determined to maintain control at all costs.

The United States government has said that Nigeria’s new N70,000 minimum wage has lost real value due to the sharp fall of the naira, leaving millions of workers trapped in poverty.

According to the 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, released by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, the wage translates to just $47.90 per month.

The report noted that currency devaluation and weak enforcement have undermined the wage increase.

The report also revealed that many states are yet to implement the new wage law. Several governors cited financial challenges as the main excuse.

Even where the law exists, compliance remains poor because of limited labor inspectors and weak oversight from authorities.

Wage Devaluation and Exclusion

The report highlighted that firms with fewer than 25 workers are excluded from the minimum wage law, leaving millions of employees without protection.

This also explained that about 70 to 80 percent of Nigeria’s workforce operates in the informal sector, where wage and labor rights are almost never enforced.

This means a majority of Nigerians continue to earn far below the national benchmark, despite the government’s approval of N70,000 as the new minimum wage.

The U.S. report stressed that the naira’s sharp decline, trading above N1,500 to the dollar, had worsened the wage erosion. This has left workers unable to afford basic needs, pushing many deeper into poverty.

Human Rights and Labor Challenges

The document pointed out that weak enforcement of labor laws contributes to worsening poverty levels in the country.

Workers in the informal sector, such as street vendors, artisans, and small traders, rarely benefit from labor protections.

The report also noted that Nigeria’s minimum wage is rarely sufficient to cover basic food, housing, and transport needs.

This has further exposed structural gaps in the government’s approach to economic reforms and poverty reduction.

Governors Push Investment Platform

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has launched a new investment initiative called NGF Investopedia.

The platform seeks to attract capital flows into bankable projects across all 36 states, with the goal of tackling Nigeria’s annual $100 billion infrastructure financing deficit.

The launch event in Abuja gathered governors, international partners, and investors. The forum described the platform as a long-term strategy to unlock growth opportunities across states and strengthen Nigeria’s subnational economies.

NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, said Nigeria must urgently leverage its human and natural resources to address poverty and joblessness.

“Here is Africa’s largest economy, endowed with abundant human and natural resources,” he said, stressing that state governments must play a bigger role in attracting investments and supporting local industries.

A Widening Gap

The contrast between the U.S. report on wage decline and the governors’ push for investment highlights Nigeria’s economic paradox.

While authorities promote foreign capital inflow, millions of workers continue to survive on wages that have lost most of their value.

With inflation rising, food prices soaring, and the naira weakening, the gap between earnings and cost of living keeps widening.

Unless enforcement improves and the informal sector is integrated into wage protections, the N70,000 benchmark may remain symbolic rather than effective.

The United States has signed new bilateral deportation agreements with Honduras and Uganda, expanding President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policy and raising fresh concerns among human rights groups.

According to documents obtained by CBS News and shared with the BBC, the deals form part of Washington’s effort to widen the scope of countries willing to accept migrants deported from the US, including individuals who are not their own citizens.

Uganda and Honduras Accept New Deportation Roles

Under the agreement, Uganda has pledged to receive African and Asian migrants who had attempted to claim asylum at the US-Mexico border.

However, Kampala has made it clear that only those without criminal records will be considered. It remains uncertain how many people the East African country will ultimately accept.

Meanwhile, Honduras will receive several hundred deportees from Spanish-speaking countries over the next two years, including families travelling with children.

Government documents suggest the Central American nation may be open to expanding the number of arrivals beyond the initial commitment.

Both countries now join a growing list of nations that have been drawn into Trump’s second-term crackdown on illegal immigration.

Part of a Wider Trump Strategy

Since returning to the White House, President Trump has pushed aggressively to secure deportation arrangements with countries across multiple continents even those with controversial human rights records.

So far, at least a dozen nations have signed similar agreements.

Just last week, the State Department announced a “safe third country” deal with Paraguay.

Earlier this month, Rwanda agreed to take up to 250 migrants from the US, but with a stipulation that Kigali can vet and approve each case individually.

Panama and Costa Rica have also recently committed to resettling several hundred African and Asian migrants.

The administration has reportedly approached other governments, including Ecuador and Spain, about potential agreements.

Criticism from Human Rights Campaigners

The deals have sparked widespread criticism. Rights groups argue that sending migrants to third countries exposes them to serious risks, including potential onward deportation to places where they could face persecution or harm.

The United Nations has also warned that such transfers may violate international law, as they could deny migrants the right to a fair asylum process.

The US Supreme Court fueled controversy in June when it allowed the administration to resume deportations to third countries without requiring a formal review of potential risks.

The ruling passed by a conservative majority, while Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a strong dissent, calling it “a gross abuse.”

A Signature Trump Policy

Mass deportations and stricter border controls remain central to Trump’s political agenda.

His campaign promised sweeping action on undocumented migration, a stance that drew strong support from voters who helped secure his second presidential term.

Critics, however, warn that outsourcing deportations to nations with fragile systems or questionable rights records could set a dangerous precedent in global migration policy.

For now, Uganda and Honduras have become the latest testing grounds for Trump’s controversial deportation drive, even as the debate over its legality and morality deepens on the international stage

President Bola Tinubu has approved a major reduction in the cost of kidney dialysis in federal hospitals. The price has dropped from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000.

This move comes as part of his administration’s push to make healthcare more affordable for ordinary Nigerians.

The announcement came on Monday through Daniel Bwala, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Information.

He revealed the development in a post on his official X, formerly Twitter handle.

According to him, the subsidy already covers several federal medical centres and teaching hospitals across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Bwala explained that this policy has started running in major health institutions, ensuring that kidney patients now pay less for treatment.

He also noted that more hospitals will join the scheme before the year ends, giving broader access to citizens.

Currently, patients can access the reduced dialysis service at these hospitals:

1. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos

2. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja

3. University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State

4. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, Imo State

5. University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Maiduguri, Borno State

6. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State

7. Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos

8. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare, Bauchi State

9. University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Edo State

10. University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Cross River State.

More hospitals will be added as the program expands, Bwala confirmed. He stressed that Tinubu’s decision reflects his promise to put citizens’ welfare first.

By cutting costs, the government wants to ease the financial pain that families face while battling chronic illnesses.

Furthermore, this step is not an isolated policy. It fits into the Tinubu administration’s wider healthcare reforms.

Alongside dialysis subsidies, the government is rolling out oncology and diagnostic facilities to improve cancer and disease detection.

In addition, about 120,000 frontline health workers will undergo retraining to boost the quality of care across the country.

The President has also redesigned the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to make primary healthcare more accessible in rural and urban areas.

Another key reform is the approval of free Caesarean sections for vulnerable pregnant women in federal hospitals, further showing the government’s focus on saving lives.

With these reforms, Tinubu aims to rebuild trust in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

The reduction in dialysis cost, in particular, gives hope to thousands of kidney patients who have long struggled with overwhelming medical bills.

The United States government has introduced stricter visa rules for Nigerians, demanding that applicants submit details of their social media activities from the past five years.

The US Mission warned that anyone who fails to comply risks an immediate visa denial and future ineligibility to enter the U.S.

In a quick response, the Federal Government announced that it will reciprocate the move by subjecting U.S. citizens applying for Nigerian visas to the same requirements.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria issued the directive through its official X handle yesterday. It explained that the regulation expands an earlier policy that initially targeted international student visa applicants.

Under that rule, students had to list their social media handles and remove privacy settings to allow U.S. officials to vet their accounts.

Now, the updated rule goes even further. Applicants must provide usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, and handles across every social media platform they have used in the last five years.

Those who had multiple usernames or phone numbers must also list each one separately on the DS-160 visa application form.

The U.S. Mission emphasized that failure to submit complete social media information could result in immediate visa rejection and disqualification from future applications.

Oficials framed the new measure as part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown aimed at tightening national security.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has also begun enforcing a new “Good Moral Character” policy for naturalisation.

Immigration officers must now evaluate applicants beyond criminal records, reviewing lifestyle, community contributions, and adherence to social norms such as steady employment, tax compliance, and volunteer work.

Adding to the pressure, the U.S. State Department recently revoked 6,000 student visas.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that most cancellations were tied to overstays, crimes such as assault or burglary, and alleged links to terrorism.

Rubio, who has focused heavily on Chinese students and critics of Israel, said he personally orders visa revocations daily.

These measures have drawn legal challenges. Courts freed Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist at Columbia University, and Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish student at Tufts University, after controversial detentions.

Both have accused the administration of targeting dissenters. Still, Rubio insists non-U.S. citizens have no constitutional right to free speech in America.

Reacting to the visa crackdown, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa confirmed that Nigeria will implement equal restrictions.

He stressed that visa policy always works on reciprocity, meaning U.S. citizens will face the same rules Nigerians now encounter.

Ebienfa revealed that the government will soon convene an inter-agency meeting involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to decide the exact measures Nigeria will adopt.

This latest dispute comes after a series of U.S. visa curbs against Nigerians. Only recently, the U.S. cut most Nigerian non-immigrant visas to single-entry permits with three-month validity, citing high overstay rates and reciprocity concerns.

The U.S. Mission defended the changes as part of a global review process designed to protect the integrity of its immigration system.

However, with both countries now locked in a tit-for-tat approach, visa applicants from each side face more hurdles than ever before.