Court restricts Omoyele Sowore and other protesters in Abuja to MKO Abiola stadium

Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has restricted protesters in the August 1 demonstration to the MKO Abiola Stadium in the nation’s capital.

The judge gave the order on Wednesday, July 31,while delivering a ruling in an ex-parte application brought before him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike. 

In the exparte application argued by his counsel, Ogwu Onoja, the FCT Minister had 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 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.

He claimed that when he contacted the security agencies to ensure that the planned protest did not degenerate into criminality and disturbance of public peace and order, he was told that they were not well equipped to manage any crisis that may arise from the planned protest at short notice.

In his ruling, Justice Oriji, who recognized the rights of the protesters to embark on the protest, however, restricted them to the stadium given the genuine fears expressed by the minister.

“In the light of the above, the court considers it appropriate and expedient to grant an order under the omnibus or general prayer to ensure that the rights of the protesters are guaranteed and that the protest does not negatively or adversely affect the rights of other citizens to move about and to ensure that properties and other public facilities are not destroyed,” the judge held.

He therefore ordered the 1st to 5th respondents to “use the Moshood Abiola Stadium” only for the protest.

Meanwhile, the court ordered the service of processes in the suit as well as the confinement order on the respondents by placing the same on the newspapers.

Defendants in the suit are Omoyele Sowore, Damilare Adenola, Adama Ukpabi, Tosin Harsogba, persons unknown, Inspector General 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.