A High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have granted an order barring protesters from marching through the streets of the capital. The presiding Judge, Justice Sylvanus Chinedu Oriji, ruling on a suit brought by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ordered that such protests be confined to the Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola stadium, otherwise known as the national Stadium.
The protesters had asked the minister to give them access to Eagle Square, but Wike asked them to follow due process.
However, the protesters vowed to make use of the facility with or without approval from the authorities.
In his ruling, Justice Oriji said “Leave is granted to the claimant/applicant (FCT Minister) to serve the originating processes (writ of summons) and all subsequent processes in this suit on the defendants/respondents by substituted means to wit: through newspaper publications and print media.
“The 1st Defendants/Respondents, while embarking on the planned protest from 1/8/2024 to 10/8/2024 in exercise of their constitutional rights are to use the Moshood Abiola Stadium in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja only and are restrained by an order of interim injunction from gathering in any other place pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The order was made in an ex-parte application brought by Ogwu James Onoja (SAN) against Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola for the “Take It Back Movement”, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba for “Active Citizens Group”, Persons Unknown, the Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, FCT, Director General of the Department of State Security Services, Director General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and Chief of Naval Staff as respondents and defendants.
The FCT Minister had sought 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.
