BREAKING: Court Restricts Protesters to Abuja Stadium

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has restricted participants in the August 1 hardship protest in the nation’s capital to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

Justice Sylvanus Oriji, issued the order on Wednesday in Abuja while delivering ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Defendants in the suit are Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba, persons unknown, Inspector General of Police, FCT Commissioner of Police, Director General of the State Security Service, Commandant, Nigeria Civil Defense Corps; Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air staff, Chief of Naval Staff as 1st to 12th respondents.

In the ex parte application argued by Chief Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, the FCT Minister had applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the five 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.

The Minister also applied for another order of interim injunction mandating the security agencies to prevent leaders of the protesters from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, offices or public premises within the FCT between August 1 and 10, pending the hearing of his motion on notice.

In the application, the Minister who said that the federal government was not averse to the protest, claimed that intelligence and security reports reaching him indicated that some elements within the leadership of the protesters intend to capitalise on the planned protest to cause havoc and irreparable damages to public facilities and blocking of roadways to prevent movement of persons and vehicles and disturb public peace.

He claimed that when he contacted the security agencies to ensure that the planned protest did not degenerate into criminality and disturbance of public peace and order, he was told that they were not well equipped to manage any crisis that may arise from the planned protest at a short notice, hence they advised him that prevention is better than cure.

The Minister tendered an exhibit from the “Take it Back Movement, FCT”, signed by one Damilare Adenola, in which they threatened to invade the Presidential Villa and also threatened to pull down the outer wires facing the Aso Rock villa during the protest

Besides, he said organisers of the protest demanded that the FCT should provide them with light as well as toilet during the duration of the protest.

In his ruling, Justice Oriji, who recognised the rights of the protesters to embark on the protest, however restricted them to the Stadium in view of the genuine fears expressed by the minister.

“In the light of the above, the court considers it appropriate and expedient to grant an order under the omnibus or general prayer to ensure that the rights of the protesters are guaranteed and that the protest does not negatively or adversely affect the rights of other citizens to move about and to ensure that that properties and other public facilities are not destroyed”, the judge held.

He therefore ordered the 1st to 5th respondents to “use the Moshood Abiola Stadium” only for the protest.

Meanwhile, the court ordered the service of processes in the suit as well as the confinement order on the respondents by placing same on the newspapers.