Court extends protest restrictions in Lagos

A Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square has extended an earlier order restricting protesters in the state to conduct their activities only at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park and Peace Park.

The presiding judge, Justice S.I. Sonaike, gave the order on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, following an application filed by the Lagos State Attorney-General and the Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), for an extension of the order.

Pedro had filed an extension of the order after complying with the order of the court to ensure the safety of the protesters within the two locations ordered by the court.

The Lagos State AG was represented in court by the Director for Civil Litigations, Hameed Oyenuga.

Oyenuga told the court that the service of the earlier court order had been served on all the respondents in compliance with the pre-action protocols for preemptive reliefs sought by the AG against the representatives of the protesters.

He said though the respondents in the suit were yet to respond to the application, “there is the need to extend the earlier restriction order of the protest to two venues”.

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“This is to ensure that the state can continue to enjoy the relative peace being experienced despite the ongoing protests across the country,” he added.

In her ruling, Justice Sonaike said she was satisfied with the AG’s compliance with the order of the other vacation judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogundare.

She, therefore, ordered that the restriction of the protest to Freedom and Peace parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of Lagos State be extended until full compliance with the pre-action orders.

Justice Ogundare had, on July 30, while ruling on an exparte application filed by the Lagos State AG, placed restrictions on the protesters.

The AG was seeking to secure public safety and prevent the loss of lives and property in the state during the protest.

The defendants in the application include  Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for Active Citizens Group), Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto (for Take it Back Movement), and Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

The Star