Just In: Court Gives Final Verdict on Suit Seeking to Punish #EndBadGovernance Protesters

• The federal high court in Abuja has struck out the suit seeking the punishment for the #EndBadGovernance protesters
• Justice Peter Lifu of the court struck out the suit over the failure of the plaintiffs and the defendants to present their legal representatives
• The plaintiffs were asking the court to order the security agencies and the AGF to stop the protest over the violation of their rights

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit against anti-hardship protesters due to lack of diligent prosecution. The suit was struck out by Justice Peter Lifu because none of the 17 plaintiffs were present in court, and the 26 defendants were without legal representation.

The plaintiffs, representing six geopolitical zones, had sought an order to terminate the protest, alleging that their fundamental rights were breached. They claimed that their rights to freedom of movement, human dignity, and property were violated but failed to pursue the case, leading to its dismissal.

Court dismisses suit against hunger protester Photo Credit: @PoliceNG
Source: Twitter

The plaintiffs asked the court to compel security agencies and the AGF to stop the protesters and enforce their rights. They cited states like Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa, where public and private properties were allegedly destroyed.

Some of the plaintiffs include Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, and Adiza Abbo, among others. The defendants included Omoyele Somore, the AGF, National Security Adviser, and security chiefs.

Why court strike out suit against protesters

Despite the scheduled hearing, none of the plaintiffs or their legal representatives were present, and they did not offer any excuses. Justice Lifu struck out the suit, stating that the plaintiffs had lost interest in pursuing the case.

Lifu's statement reads in part:

Recall that the protesters have staged a ten-day demonstration against the country's economic hardship, demanding the reversal of the fuel subsidy and a N250,000 minimum wage, among other things.

Source: Legit.ng