The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application seeking to impose an interim injunction against Nigerian protesters rallying under the hashtag #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.
On August 12, 2024, a diverse group of Nigerians, led by Messrs Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, Adiza Abbo, and thirteen others, filed a motion ex-parte, aiming to safeguard their fundamental rights in the face of what they perceived as threats posed by the ongoing protests.
They targeted a formidable lineup of organizations, including the Take It Back Movement, Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative For Change, and several others, collectively known as the 1st to 8th respondents. This impressive coalition also included Active Citizens Group, Students For Change, We Coalition, Total Intervention, Refurbished Nigeria, Tomorrow Today, Our Future In Our Hands Initiative, Youths Against Tyranny, Save Nigeria Movement, Omoyele Sowore, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), filling the 9th to 19th slots in the application.
The Attorney General of the Federation and various security agencies were also named as respondents.
In court, the applicants’ attorney, Tsembelee Sorkaa, argued for his clients, asserting that their rights to life, personal liberty, private and family life, movement, property, and economic development were at grave risk from the sweeping demonstrations organized by the collective effort of the 1st to 19th respondents.
In his motion on notice, where he sought an injunction against the respondents, the lawyer argued that “the previous protests in Nigeria in 2020, hashtag #EndSARS, led to the deaths of innocent Nigerians and massive lootings and destructions of properties in Nigeria. This was widely reported in the media.”
Justice Lifu who ruled over the case said that the protest in question ended last week and there is no evidence presented before the court by the lawyer that the protesters would reconvene later.
“I have carefully considered the prayers in the instant motion (ex parte). In my view, the motion is not grantable.
“The prayers for substituted service are not grantable. The entire application lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed,” the judge ruled.
The court subsequently adjourned the hearing on the motion on notice to August 29, 2024
