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BREAKING: Court rejects plea to restrain Nigerians from continuing #EndBadGovernance protests

Published

2 years ago

August 12, 2024

BREAKING: Court rejects plea to restrain Nigerians from continuing #EndBadGovernance protests

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed an application seeking an order of interim injunction restraining Nigerian protesters under different platforms from continuing with the ongoing protests using the hashtags #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.

Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the motion ex parte, marked FHC/ABS/CS/1149/2024, on Monday, August 12, 2024.

A motion ex parte is a kind of application where a party seeks an order of the court against another party without notifying the latter in advance.

Applicant’s Motion

Messrs Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, Adiza Abbo, and thirteen other Nigerians filed the motion ex parte (dated August 12, 2024) seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights against the organizations involved with the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests.

The applicants sued organizations such as Take It Back Movement, Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative For Change, Human Rights Co-advocacy Initiative, Nigerian Against Corruption Initiative, Citizens For Change Advocacy Initiative, and Timely Intervention (1st to 8th respondents).

Others sued were Active Citizens Group, Students For Change, We Coalition, Total Intervention, Refurbished Nigeria, Tomorrow Today, Our Future In Our Hands Initiative, Youths Against Tyranny, Save Nigeria Movement, Omoyele Sowore, and Social Democratic Party (SDP) (9th to 19th respondents).

The rest are the Attorney General Of The Federation and security agencies.

The applicants’ lawyer, Tsembelee Sorkaa, stated in his process that the right to life, personal liberty, private and family life, movement, property, and economic development of his clients is likely to be breached by the ongoing protest in Nigeria organized by the 1st to 19th respondents who are using the hashtag #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.

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He then asked the court to restrain the 1st to 19th respondents from continuing with the ongoing protest in Nigeria pending the determination of his motion on notice.

He also urged the court to direct security agencies to give effect to the restraining order if granted.

He equally requested an order of substituted service on the 1st to 19th respondents through any national newspaper, citing urgency.

In his motion on notice, where he sought an injunction against the respondents, the lawyer argued that “the previous protests in Nigeria in 2020, hashtag #EndSARS, led to the deaths of innocent Nigerians and massive lootings and destructions of properties in Nigeria. This was widely reported in the media.”

What Transpired in Court

At the resumed sitting, Sorkaa urged the judge to grant his motion ex parte, saying the first to nineteenth respondents are the ones involved in the protest.

On his prayers to serve them via newspaper publications, he explained that the respondents (1st to 19th) don’t have offices in Nigeria and there is no fixed address anywhere where they can be served personally.

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But the judge held that it was not good for the lawyer to rush his notice ex parte especially without providing the required affidavit to support his requests for an interim injunction and substituted service.

“Where is the affidavit that will grant your prayers for substituted service? Don’t they have an address? Are they registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA)?” the judge queried, observing the lawyer “doesn’t have any affidavit to back” his motion ex parte.

Besides, Justice Lifu said that the protest in question ended last week and there is no evidence presented before the court by the lawyer that the protesters would reconvene later.

“I have carefully considered the prayers in the instant motion (ex parte). In my view, the motion is not grantable.

“The prayers for substituted service are not grantable.

“The entire application lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed,” the judge said.

The court subsequently adjourned the hearing on the motion on notice to August 29, 2024.

BREAKING: Court rejects plea to restrain Nigerians from continuing #EndBadGovernance protests

Related Topics:EndBadGovernance Nigerians protests

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2027 Elections: INEC Reveals Why Pantami, Adebutu, Others Were Excluded

Published

12 hours ago

October 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan

2027 Elections: INEC Reveals Why Pantami, Adebutu, Others Were Excluded

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why some political parties and their governorship candidates were excluded from the final list for the 2027 elections, citing failure to comply with the statutory requirement to submit membership registers before conducting valid party primaries.

The commission said the decision followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring political parties to submit their membership registers within a prescribed period.

The explanation comes amid complaints from affected political parties and candidates following the publication of INEC’s final list of governorship candidates, which omitted several prominent opposition figures.

Among those affected are Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, and Ladi Adebutu, the party’s candidate in Ogun State.

Pantami’s name was missing despite his emergence from a court-ordered rerun of the PDP governorship primary in Gombe, while Adebutu and his running mate were also absent from the list.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission applied the Supreme Court’s decision when finalising the list.

The judgment arose from an appeal filed by INEC against an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had nullified Sections 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The Supreme Court upheld the provisions, which require political parties to submit their membership registers as a prerequisite for valid party primaries.

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It also upheld INEC’s timetable requiring parties to submit their registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.

According to the commission, the apex court held that parties that failed to comply with the statutory requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the elections.

INEC said it was consequently required to give effect to the judgment in accordance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires compliance with decisions of superior courts.

The commission added that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.

The omissions have triggered reactions from affected political parties, with the PDP saying it was engaging INEC over the absence of its candidates in Gombe and Ogun states.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has also raised concerns over the omission of some of its governorship candidates, while other affected political groups have indicated their intention to pursue available remedies.

The development has heightened concerns among opposition parties as preparations continue for the February 6, 2027, governorship elections.

INEC, however, said political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from the final list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission.

It fixed October 24, 2026, as the deadline for such notifications under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, adherence to the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.

The next steps by affected parties will determine whether the omissions can be resolved through the commission’s notification procedure or other legal avenues available to them.

2027 Elections: INEC Reveals Why Pantami, Adebutu, Others Were Excluded

News

Shell Exits Nigeria’s Gas Distribution Business, Sells Stake to Vaaris Energy

Published

1 day ago

October 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Shell Exits Nigeria’s Gas Distribution Business, Sells Stake to Vaaris Energy

Shell Petroleum B.V. has agreed to sell its entire interest in the Shell Nigeria Gas Group to indigenous energy company Vaaris Energy Limited, marking another major shift in the international oil giant’s business portfolio in Nigeria.

The agreement, announced on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, covers Shell’s domestic gas distribution business in the country. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed in the announcement.

The proposed sale will transfer Shell’s interest in the gas distribution group to Vaaris Energy, a Nigerian-owned company seeking to expand its presence in the country’s oil and gas industry.

The transaction represents another adjustment to Shell’s Nigerian operations as the company focuses on selected oil, gas and integrated energy projects.

Shell’s latest move follows its earlier exit from onshore oil production through the sale of its interest in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to the Renaissance consortium. That transaction was completed in March 2025 after receiving the necessary regulatory approvals.

However, the two transactions involve different parts of Shell’s Nigerian business. The earlier deal covered its onshore oil-producing subsidiary, while the latest agreement concerns its domestic gas distribution operations.

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Following the SPDC sale, Shell retained other interests in Nigeria, including its deepwater oil and gas operations and its participation in Nigeria LNG Limited. The company also continued operating its domestic gas distribution business, which is now expected to come under Vaaris Energy’s ownership once the latest transaction is completed.

Shell said the proposed divestment aligns with its strategy of simplifying its global portfolio and concentrating investment on projects expected to deliver stronger returns.

Elohor Aiboni, Shell’s country chair in Nigeria, said the company would continue to focus on its strategic deepwater and integrated gas positions in the country.

For Vaaris Energy, the proposed acquisition offers an opportunity to strengthen its position in Nigeria’s natural gas market and expand its participation in the domestic energy value chain.

The company is a privately held Nigerian energy business with interests across the oil and gas sector. However, details of its plans for the acquired business, including any operational changes or investment commitments, were not disclosed in the announcement.

The financial value of the transaction and the precise timeline for completion were also not made public in the information available at the time of reporting.

The deal comes as Nigeria seeks to increase domestic gas utilisation, improve energy supply and attract investment into its gas infrastructure. Gas distribution plays an important role in connecting producers with industrial users and other customers that rely on natural gas for their operations.

The implications of the acquisition for Nigeria’s domestic gas market will depend on the completion of the transaction and how Vaaris Energy manages and develops the business under its ownership.

Shell’s agreement with Vaaris therefore marks another change in the ownership of a significant energy asset in Nigeria, while allowing the international company to maintain its focus on other strategic oil and gas interests in the country.

Shell Exits Nigeria’s Gas Distribution Business, Sells Stake to Vaaris Energy

News

Delta Tragedy: Man Allegedly Kills Wife, Dies by Suicide After Land Dispute

Published

1 day ago

October 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Delta Tragedy: Man Allegedly Kills Wife, Dies by Suicide After Land Dispute

A domestic dispute allegedly involving the sale of landed property and accusations of infidelity has left a couple dead in Agbarho community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, leaving their four children without either parent.

The incident reportedly occurred on Owiri Street in Agbarho, where the man allegedly attacked and killed his wife before later dying by suicide after ingesting a poisonous substance.

According to a report published by Vanguard on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the tragedy followed a disagreement between the couple over landed property and alleged infidelity. However, the full circumstances surrounding the confrontation have not been independently established.

A source quoted in the report said the man was reportedly angered by allegations concerning his wife’s fidelity and the sale of his landed property. The precise sequence of events leading to the couple’s deaths remains unclear.

A neighbour reportedly said the couple had experienced repeated physical confrontations before the incident, suggesting that tensions within the household may have persisted for some time. However, details of the earlier clashes and whether the authorities had previously been alerted have not been confirmed.

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The deceased man’s elder brother also reportedly expressed shock over the deaths, saying he was not fully aware of what had triggered the fatal confrontation. He confirmed that the couple had four children, with the eldest said to be about 21 years old, but declined to disclose their identities.

A senior police officer at the Agbarho Division reportedly confirmed the incident, saying officers evacuated the bodies to a morgue as investigations began. The officer also indicated that no formal complaint had been lodged by the families as of the time of the report.

Attempts to obtain further comments from the Delta State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, were reportedly unsuccessful before the report was published.

The deaths have left the couple’s four children facing the loss of both parents, adding to the devastating consequences of the incident. The circumstances surrounding the reported property dispute, the allegations of infidelity and the events immediately preceding the deaths remain subject to investigation.

The tragedy highlights the potentially devastating consequences of unresolved domestic conflict. Disagreements involving marital relationships, property ownership and land sales should be addressed through peaceful dialogue, appropriate support and lawful channels. Violence is never an acceptable way to resolve such disputes.