JUST-IN: Court Extends Lagos Protest Restrictions To 2 Venues

The Lagos High Court in Igbosere has extended a previous directive limiting demonstrators in Lagos to the Freedom and Peace Park within the Ojota and Ketu areas of the state.

Justice S.I. Sonaike issued the order following an application by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, for an extension order, having complied with the pre-action protocols for preemptive remedies ordered last week by another vacation judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogundare.

Pedro, who was represented in court by the Director for Civil Litigations, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga, told the court on Tuesday that service of the earlier court order had been served on all the respondents in compliance with the pre-action protocols for pre-emptive reliefs sought by the AG against the representatives of the protesters.

According to him, though the respondents in the suit were yet to respond to the application, there was need to extend the earlier restriction order of the protest to two venues so that the state can continue to enjoy the relative peace being experienced despite the ongoing protests across the country.

Justice Sonaike, in her ruling, expressed contentment with the AG’s adherence to Justice Ogundare’s orders and directed that the protests be limited to Freedom and Peace Parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of the state until full compliance with the preliminary orders.

Ogundare placed restrictions on the protesters last week, while ruling on a preemptive ex-parte application filed Pedro seeking to maintain and secure public safety and prevent irreparable loss of lives and property in the state during the period of the protests.

Listed in the application as co-defendants are Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for Active Citizens Group); Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto (for Take It Back Movement); persons unknown; and Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.

During his court application, Pedro, as the Chief Law Officer of the State, emphasised the importance of safeguarding critical state infrastructures and preventing a repeat of the irreparable loss of lives and property seen during the 2020 #EndSARS protest, citing his awareness of diverse views on the nationwide protest.