Falana Tells Governments To Refrain From Court Actions Right Before Protests

Falana Tells Governments To Refrain From Court Actions Right Before Protests

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has criticized the Lagos and Ogun state governments, as well as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), for hastily seeking court orders to restrict protest locations just before the demonstrations began……. CONTINUE READING 

Falana voiced his concerns during an interview on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*. He argued that obtaining court orders from various state and Federal High Courts to confine protesters to specific areas, such as Freedom and Peace Parks in Lagos and the MKO National Stadium in the FCT, was problematic. In Ogun, the restrictions were set for the MKO Stadium in Abeokuta, Ansar-ud-Deen Comprehensive High School in Ota, Remo Divisional High School in Sagamu, and Dipo Dina Stadium in Ijebu-Ode.

Falana noted that the court orders were issued just 24 hours before the protests started, making it unlikely that the protesters were properly informed. He explained, “The government should have avoided rushing to court on the eve of a protest or strike action. Orders issued at the last minute often fail to reach those they are meant to restrain.”

He highlighted the issues with enforcing such orders, mentioning that, for instance, the orders in Lagos and Ogun were not served to anyone, and some orders were directed at “unknown persons,” which complicates enforcement.

Falana suggested that the government could have designated protest venues well in advance, as is practiced in other countries, and that two weeks’ notice should have been sufficient to inform protesters about any restrictions without resorting to court orders.

He added, “In Lagos, many participants traveled 30-40 km to join the protest in Ojota, which was sealed off by the government. Similarly, in Abuja, protesters were displaced when the Unity Fountain, a common protest site, was closed. Instead of rushing to court, the government should consider more effective ways to manage and communicate protest regulations.”

Falana emphasized that rushing to court on the eve of a protest is ineffective and often impractical, suggesting a need for better planning and communication from the authorities.

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