High Court throws out suit against anti-hunger protesters

A suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Inspector General of Police (IGP), Department of the State Service (DSS) and the Chiefs of Army and Defence Staff, against the anti-hunger protesters has been thrown out by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

As reported by The Guardian, the suit filed by about 17 Nigerians against the last nationwide protests was thrown out by the court for want of diligent prosecution.   

Justice Peter Lifu terminated the suit yesterday following the absence of the 17 plaintiffs and 26 defendants in court and without legal representation from the two parties.

Although the suit was fixed for hearing, Justice Lifu was however shocked that none of the 17 plaintiffs showed up nor were they represented by any legal practitioner.

   

To worsen the matter, the defendants, comprising Omoyele Somore,

Take It Back movement, Nigerians against hunger, and other CSOs that participated in the protest had no legal representation while no excuses or explanations were offered for the boycott of the proceedings.

Furious by the development, Justice Lifu held that it had become apparent that the plaintiffs were no longer interested in the matter and subsequently struck it out.

   

The plaintiffs, drawn from the six geopolitical zones of the country, had approached the court seeking an order to terminate the protest because their fundamental rights to freedom of movement, human dignity, right to own property, economic, social and cultural development and right to national peace and security were been breached.

   

They asked the court to compel the Director General of the DSS, Inspector General of Police, Chiefs of Army and Defence Staff as well as the AGF to enforce their fundamental rights by bringing the protesters to order. The plaintiffs cited Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa among others where great destructions were allegedly done to public and private properties.

   

The suit was however terminated by Justice Lifu as a result of a lack of diligent prosecution on the part of the plaintiffs. Some of the plaintiffs are Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, Adiza Abbo, Ocholi Aduku, Francis John, Nnamdi Eze, Chibuzor Ifeanyi, Fesco Olatunde and Ishaya Istifanus among others.