Gov. Abba Kabir-Yusuf of Kano State has handed over 76 minors discharged and acquitted by a Federal High Court in Abuja to their parents in Kano.
The teenagers had been detained in connection with the EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024.
Handing over the minors on Thursday at Muhammad Buhari Specialist Hospital, Kano, Yusuf urged them to always be law abiding and shun all acts of unlawful protest in the future.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Wada Sagagi, he urged them to uphold the rule of law and respect constituted authorities.
The governor announced that the government would sponsor the education of all the reformed minors.
In the same vein, those who have completed their NCE Education among them would be offered automatic employment during the next recruitment exercise.
He said that the state government has given a premium to education with 29 per cent budget allocation in 2024 budget and 30 per cent allocation in the proposed 2025 to the education sector.
Yusuf further directed the Ministry of Education to ensure adequate follow-up on the reformed minors.
The Commissioner for Education, Haruna Doguwa, explained that the ministry had taken statistics of those who were in Secondary schools among them in order to take them back to school.
Speaking on behalf of the parents of the minors, Ahmad Muhammad commended the state government for the gesture.
Earlier, UNICEF Chief of Kano Field Office, Michael Banda, said that the release and reunification of the 76 children and young people from post-detention and interim care was a great development.
He commended Yusuf for prioritising the rights and welfare of the children.
Mr Banda reaffirmed the fund’s shared commitment to building a child-friendly Kano where every child enjoys his or her rights.
NAN