Court Renews Order Restricting Protests To Freedom, Peace Parks In Lagos

Justice Serifat Sonaike of the Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) yesterday renewed an earlier order restricting organisers and any other persons taking part in the ongoing nationwide anti-hunger protest in Lagos to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in the Ketu area of the state.

Justice Sonaike, who gave the order after entertaining an application filed by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Lawal Pedro (SAN), held that the order will remain in force until August 29, when the case is expected to come up again before her.

In her ruling, the judge stated that she granted the extension order, having been satisfied that the applicant complied with pre-action protocols for the pre-emptive remedies order made last week by another vacation judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogundare.
Pedro, who was represented in court by the Director for Civil Litigations, Hameed Oyenuga, informed the court that service of the earlier court order had been served on all the respondents in compliance with the action on protocols for pre-emptive reliefs sought by the AG against the representatives of the protesters.

Oyenuga also told the court that though the respondents in the suit were yet to respond to the application, there was a need to extend the earlier restriction order of the protest to two venues so that the state could continue to enjoy the relative peace being experienced despite the ongoing protests across the country.
In her ruling, Justice Sonaike noted that she is satisfied with the AG’s compliance with Justice Ogundare’s orders and ordered that the restriction of the protests to Freedom and Peace Parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of the statement be extended until the next sitting of the court.

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

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