BREAKING: Lagos court extends protest restrictions, limits demonstrations to two parks

Justice Sherifat Sonaike of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere on Tuesday extended an earlier order restricting protesters in Lagos to the Freedom and Peace Parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of the state.

Sonaike made 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 that the 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.

He argued that though the respondents in the suit were yet to respond to the application, there is a 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.

In her ruling, Justice Sonaike noted that she is satisfied with the AG’s compliance with the orders of Justice Ogundare and order that the restriction of the protests to Freedom and Peace Parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of the state be extended until full compliance to the pre-action orders.

“Pre-emptive relief, earlier granted, is hereby extended.

“The lifespan of the intended order is hereby extended until there is full compliance with the protocol. Return date shall be 29th of August 2024”, Justice Sonaike said.

Justice Ogundare had last week while ruling on a preemptive exparte 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 period of the protests, and placed restrictions on the protesters.

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

While moving his application before the court, Mr Pedro had argued that as the Chief Law Officer of the State and have been privy to notices by different interests who are for and against the nationwide protest, there is the need to protect the critical infrastructures of the state and prevent an irreparable loss of lives and property as witnessed during the EndSARS protest in 2020.