In a move sparking national outrage, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has come under fire for the conviction and sentencing of seven teenagers and youths—some as young as 14—for allegedly forming a WhatsApp protest group named “Zanga Zanga” to mobilize against government policies during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance demonstrations.
The youths, aged between 14 and 17, were sentenced to five years in prison, public flogging, and community service by a Borno State High Court. Amnesty International has denounced the trial as a “sham,” calling the charges fabricated and politically motivated. The organization demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the convicted minors, asserting that their only “crime” was exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist and convener of the #RevolutionNow movement, issued a scathing statement condemning Governor Zulum’s actions. “It is totally insane that the overrated Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, the same man who recently allocated billions of naira to so-called ‘repentant’ Boko Haram militants, has now turned around to jail innocent youths, several of them minors,” Sowore wrote on his verified X account.
Sowore accused the administration of hypocrisy, alleging that it rewards insurgents while persecuting peaceful dissenters. “This outrageous act exposes the hypocrisy of a government that pampers terrorists while criminalizing peaceful dissent,” he added.
The controversy has reignited debates over Nigeria’s approach to rehabilitation of former insurgents, with critics questioning the morality and effectiveness of rewarding individuals formerly associated with violent extremism while punishing youth-led civic engagement.