Court upholds restrictions on #EndBadGovernance protesters to Abuja stadium
An FCT High Court has extended its earlier order restricting participants of the #EndBadGovernance Protest in Abuja to the MKO Abiola stadium, also known as the National Stadium.
Justice Sylvanus Chinedu Oriji on Tuesday made the fresh order after listening to the submissions of lawyers in the matter.
The judge ordered that the order remained in force pending the determination of the main suit and fixed August 22 for the hearing.
None of the promoters of the #EndBadGovernance Protest attended the court proceeding on Tuesday but the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike was represented by Dr Ogwu Onoja (SAN).
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However, Onoja drew the court’s attention to a statement made by one of the organisers, Damilare Adenola that the group could extend the protests by another 10 days if the federal government failed to act on their demands.
He pleaded the judge to extend the order pending the next adjourned date saying nobody knew the intention of the group since they were not in court.
The judge had on July 31 issued an ex parte order restricting the participants of the now concluded protest to the National Stadium and not to march on the streets of the Federal Capital Territory.
The judge ruled that, “Leave is granted to the claimant/applicant (FCT Minister) to serve the originating processes (writ of summons) and all subsequent processes in this suit on the defendants/respondents by substituted means to wit: through newspaper publications and print media.
“The 1st Defendants/Respondents, while embarking on the planned protest from 1/8/2024 to 10/8/2024 in exercise of their constitutional rights are to use the Moshood Abiola Stadium in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja only and are restrained by an order of interim injunction from gathering in any other place pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
Those listed as defendants include Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola for the “Take It Back Movement”, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba for “Active Citizens Group”, Persons Unknown, the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, FCT, Director General of the Department of State Security Services, Director General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and Chief of Naval Staff as respondents and defendants.
The FCT Minister had sought an order of interim injunction restraining the leaders of the protesting groups from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, streets, offices and public premises within the FCT between August 1 to August 10, or any other day thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Proofreading by Fa’izatu Aliyu Doma, Journalist at Neptune Prime.
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