Court extends order restricting Abuja protesters to National Stadium

BY ANDREW OROLUA

Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has extended the order restricting participants in the hunger protest within the territory against the federal government to the MKO Abiola stadium, Abuja, also known as National Stadium.

The Judge extended the order on Tuesday following an application to that effect argued by Dr Ogwu James Onoja SAN on behalf of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

At the Tuesday’s proceedings, none of the 12 defendants was in court and were not represented by any legal practitioner.

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

Dr. Onoja SAN informed the court that he did not serve notice of hearing to 1 to 4 defendants on the matter because he thought the publication on some national dailies would suffice . The judge directed that the defendants should be served with the hearing notice.

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However, the FCT Minister through his lawyer, drew the attention of the Judge to a statement issued by one Damilare Adenola where she threatened that the nationwide protests may be extended beyond the initial 10 days.

Onoja SAN argued that since they were not in court and no one knows their next plan of action, it would be in order to extend the order to ensure that peace of the FCT was not unjustly disrupted.

In a brief ruling, the Judge granted the request and affirmed that the order of July 31 remained valid and in force.

The Judge subsequently fixed August 22 for hearing of the motion on notice.

The Judge had on July 31 In an ex-parte application argued by Chief Onoja, SAN, the FCT Minister 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.

He had also applied for another order of interim injunction mandating the security agencies to prevent the protesting leaders 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.

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 capitalize 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.