Abuja Court Fixes July 14 For Ruling on Bring #Back Our Girls Rally Ban

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, June 12th, 2014

A Federa High Court in Maitama area of Abuja, on Thursday fixed July 14 for judgment in a suit challenging an earlier ban by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu on Bring Back Our Girls rallies in Abuja.

Punch reported before the matter was argued and adjourned for judgment on Friday, counsel to the 17 plaintiffs, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), dropped the prayer seeking N200m as compensation against Mbu. Falana informed the court that his clients had instructed him to drop the prayer as “this suit is not about money.”

Justice S. E Aladetoyinbo adjourned for judgment after hearing parties’ opposing arguments at the proceedings. The applicants, who claimed to be members of the Women for Peace and Justice #BringBackOurGirls, include Hadiza Bala Usman, Mr. Samuel Yaga, Mrs Rebecca Yaga, Mrs Sarah Ishaya, Mallam Dunama Mpur, Lawan Abana, Dr. Pogu Bitrus and Dauda Iliya.

Others are Kibaku Area Development Association and Maryam Uwais, Obiageli Ezekwesili, Bashir Yusuf, Jibrin Ibrahim, Jibrin Ibrahim, Saudatu Mahdi, Bukky Shonibare, Rotimi Olawale and Florence Ozor. The applicants and their group had earlier engaged in daily protests, calling on the Federal Government to intensify efforts towards rescuing over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by the insurgents on April 14.

Mbu had recently unilaterally banned rallies and protests relating to the abducted girls in Abuja with immediate effect. But the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, later overruled him, reiterating that all Nigerians had the rights to a peaceful protest.

At the hearing of the suit which was filed on June 3, Falana insisted that the purported directive banning rallies in Abuja, amounted to a violation of his client’s rights.

He argued that the deposition of the police in their counter-affidavit, to the effect that his client’s suit had been overtaken by the reversal of the purported ban, was an admission that indeed, the applicant’s rights were violated.