Court restricts Lagos protests to two leisure parks

Court restricts Lagos protests to two leisure parks

Lagos High Court has ordered organisers of hardship protests to restrict the rally in Lagos to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and the Peace Park in Ketu.

The planned nationwide protest is scheduled to start from Thursday August 1.

Justice Emmanuel Ogundare granted the order following an exparte application filed by the Lagos State’s Attorney General, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Lawal Pedro.

Listed in the application as defendants are Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for Active Citizens Group); Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto (for Take it Back Movement); Persons unknown and Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.

The Lagos Attorney General had argued that as the chief law officer of the state and having been privy to notices by different interests, there was a need to protect the critical infrastructures of the state and prevent an irreparable loss of lives and property as witnessed during the EndSARS protest in 2020.

He further argued that there was a need to prevent the protest from being hijacked by hoodlums who are prepared to breach law and order and cause destruction in different locations in the State under the pretext of public protest against alleged bad governance.

Pedro said, “In recognition of the citizens’ fundamental right to stage a public protest against government policies and actions but prevent unlawful destruction of lives and properties in the process, the Lagos State Government has designated two public spaces and locations in the state where citizens can meet and converge to protest or express their displeasure against government. The locations are Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos State and Peace Park, Ketu, Lagos State.”

“Public protest in all the local government councils and public highways as well as other areas of public access in the State for 10 days is a deliberate plan to shut down the State and if this is allowed it will amount to economic sabotage.”