Nationwide protest: Tension as Lagos lawyers sues FG, demands N1bn, details emerge

• The federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been dragged to the court barely two days to the planned protest
• Lagos-based lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje is suing the government, the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, and others over an attempt to stop the planned nationwide protest that will be held on August 1
• Ogungbeje slammed the N1 billion suit on the FG and also requested a court order to prevent any harassment or action against citizens participating in the demonstration

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Amid concerns over the planned nationwide protest, a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, has instituted a N1 billion fundamental right enforcement suit against the federal government of Nigeria and the country's security agencies.

A lawyer has sued Tinubu's government and the security agencies. He alleged the plot to stop the nationwide protest. Photo credit: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria Police Force
Source: Facebook

Why is the lawyer suing Tinubu's FG, others?

Ogungbeje is suing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's led government and the security agencies over an alleged move to stop the proposed ‘hunger protest,’ scheduled to be held between August 1 and 10, 2014.

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While the FG is named the first resplendent, the lawyer is listed as second to nine respondents, Channels TV reported.

Others are the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Department of State Security Service (DSS), and the Director General, State Security Service.

Ogungbeje, who is suing on behalf of himself and other patriotic Nigerian citizens billed to embark on the planned peaceful protests for good governance in Nigeria.

Purpose of the case

Ogungbeje stated that the suit is pursuant to Sections 33, 36, 38, 39, 40 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Order 1 and XI Rules 1 and 2 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009 and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

The initial hearing for the suit has been fixed for July 31 but the lawyer has prayed the court for the following orders:

“An order compelling the Respondents jointly and severally to tender an apology to be published in ALL the widely read National Dailies/Newspapers and to pay the sum of N1bn only as general and exemplary damages against the Respondents.“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Respondents, whether by themselves, their agents, officers, soldiers, operatives, officials, servants or privies or anybody deriving authority from them by whatever name called from harassing, intimidating, arresting, detaining, inviting, arraigning, shooting, killing, charging, disrupting, dispersing, seizing or tak g any untoward action against the Applicant and other Nigerian Citizens engaged in peaceful assembly and protests slated for August 2024 or any other dates on any fact connected with or related to the facts of this case.”

In a 34-paragraph affidavit in support of the suit, Ogungbeje said that he has a duty as a Minister in the Temple of Justice and a Legal Practitioner to protect and defend the sanctity of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from any constitutional contravention or infraction.

Lagos protesters to receive free legal service

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a prominent human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, expressed his readiness to assemble a legal team in Lagos state to offer representation to 'End Bad Governance' protesters.

Effiong disclosed that he has asked the inspector-general of police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure that Nigerians taking part in the planned protest are protected by the country’s security agencies.

Source: Legit.ng