Hearing on the suit filed against the police
by campaigners calling for the release of the over 200 abducted Chibok girls
will commence on Thursday.
The
group had filed the suit after the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner
of Police, Mr Joseph Mbu, on June 2, issued an order banning protests by the
group. They are seeking 200 million Naira in damages and an order
restraining the police from interfering with their protest.
Members
of the group also planned to write to the Inspector General of Police to effect
his plans of deploying security operatives to protect the group while its
protests are on.
Coordinator
of the group, Hadiza Usman, said that it had become worrisome to note that the
Inspector General of Police had not attached security operatives to protect the
group in the course of daily sit-outs, one week after his advise for adequate
security at the venues of rallies.
The
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, had on June 3, reversed the
order order by Mr Mbu banning protest in the nation’s capital Abuja.
Contrary
to Mbu’s order, the spokesman for the Police, Mr Frank Mba, told reporters in
Abuja that the police authorities had not issued any order banning peaceful
assemblies and protests anywhere in the country.
Mr
Mbu had hinged the ban on the emergence of parallel groups which posed
security risk to the nation’s capital, but the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’
campaigners rejected the directive, insisting that the protest would continue.
The
police high command reversing the ban explained that intelligence report had
necessitated the need to advise the protesters on the possibility
of infiltration by criminal elements.
The
group started protest few weeks after the abduction of the girls on April
14 by a terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Military say it is has
identified the location of the girls and is putting strategies in place to
rescue them without casualties.
Abuja High Court
has fixed July 14 for judgment
At the resumed hearing of the suit, lawyer to the plaintiffs, Mr Femi Falana, told the court that although the Inspector-General of Police had clarified the issue of the purported ban by Mr Mbu, there was a need for the court to make a pronouncement on the matter.
The lawyer representing the Police, Mr Simon Lough, however, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit. He also argued that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the action.
Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo, after listening to the argument of all the parties, adjourned the suit to July 14 for judgment.
Mr Femi Falana on behalf of the plaintiffs vowed to continue the peaceful rally until the abducted girls are released.
At the resumed hearing of the suit, lawyer to the plaintiffs, Mr Femi Falana, told the court that although the Inspector-General of Police had clarified the issue of the purported ban by Mr Mbu, there was a need for the court to make a pronouncement on the matter.
The lawyer representing the Police, Mr Simon Lough, however, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit. He also argued that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to institute the action.
Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo, after listening to the argument of all the parties, adjourned the suit to July 14 for judgment.
Mr Femi Falana on behalf of the plaintiffs vowed to continue the peaceful rally until the abducted girls are released.
Comments
Post a Comment