The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected an application seeking an interim injunction to halt ongoing protests using the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria hashtag.
On August 12, 2024, Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, Adiza Abbo, and thirteen other Nigerians filed the motion ex-parte, aiming to protect their fundamental rights against organizations involved in the protests.
The application targeted various groups, including the Take It Back Movement, Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative for Change, and others, as well as individuals like Omoyele Sowore and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Additionally, the Attorney General of the Federation and several security agencies were named.
The applicants’ lawyer, Tsembelee Sorkaa, argued that the ongoing protests, which use the hashtag #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria, could infringe on their clients’ rights to life, personal liberty, and property. He cited past protests, specifically the #EndSARS movement in 2020, as causing deaths and property damage.
Justice Lifu, who presided over the case, noted that the protests had ended the previous week and found no evidence that they would resume. The judge deemed the application lacking merit and dismissed it, stating, “The prayers for substituted service are not grantable. The entire application lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed.”
The court has scheduled the next hearing on the motion for August 29, 2024.
