#EndSARS: N50 Billion Suit Against Nigerian Government, Malami, Others To Compensate Victims Commences Monday

According to a report by SaharaReporters, a N50 billion lawsuit filed against the Federal Government of Nigeria in the case of assault against #EndSARS protesters by Lagos-based Lawyer, Joe Nwokedi, commences on Monday, June 21 at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi.

Nwokedi, in December 2020 slammed the Federal Government of Nigeria; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emiefele; the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigeria's Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and 17 others, with a 50 billion naira suit for their human rights abuses and molestation of Nigerians during and after the ENDSARS protests.

The human rights lawyer had proceeded to the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos State, to seek a judicial pronouncement over the activities of some state actors and their agencies regarding last year's ENDSARS protest.

The actors include the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; ex-presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba; the Lagos State Government; the Attorney General of Lagos State; Imo State Government; Attorney-general of Imo State; Rivers State Government; Attorney-general of Rivers state; Plateau State Government; Attorney-general of Plateau State; Lagos State Commissioner of Police; the National Assembly; Nigerian Broadcasting Commission and the Nigerian Television Authority.

The human rights lawyer is urging the court to pronounce against the roles played by the respondents, their agents, and others during the ENDSARS protests and also restrain them from further harassing, molesting, intimidating, torturing and eventually killing Nigerians over their participation in peaceful protests.

He is seeking, ”a declaration: that the Honourable Court shall nullify any action or directives by the Respondents, their agents, privies, representatives, etc. towards barring, banning or restricting Nigerians from engaging or participating in any form of protests (peaceful) in Nigeria or any part thereof, as that amounts to infringement of the Rights of the Applicant (Himself) and other Citizens of Nigeria, and that also contravenes the provisions of Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)

”An order of perpetual injunction of the Honourable Court restraining all the Respondents, whether by themselves or through their privies representatives, etc. acting through any person or persons from harassing, further harassing, arresting, detaining ENDSARS protesters, other protesters, the applicant or any citizen of Nigeria either in Nigeria or elsewhere, based on their participation in ENDSARS protest or any other protest whatsoever, as that amounts to gross contravention and violation of the rights of the applicant and other citizens of Nigeria as enshrined in Chapter 1V of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended.

”A perpetual order/ injunction of the Honourable Court mandating the respondents, jointly and severally, to pay to the applicant and other dehumanised, injured Nigerians as well as those that were shot, killed or suffered financial losses etc by the actions, utterances and deeds of the respondents, their agents, privies et all the sum of 50 billion naira as compensation.”

The matter was filed on December 15, 2020, and has now been slated for hearing on June 21 before Hon. Justice Liman of the Federal High 'Court, Ikoyi, Lagos State.