A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory has restricted participants in the August 1, planned protest to the MKO Abiola stadium, also known as National Stadium.
The presiding judge, Justice Sylvanus Oriji issued the order in Abuja while delivering ruling in an ex-parte application brought before the court by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
In the exparte application argued by Ogwu James Onoja, SAN, the FCT Minister had applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the five leaders of the protesting groups from gathering or parading themselves along any roadway, streets, offices and public premises within the FCT between August 1 to August 10, or any other day thereafter, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The Minister who said that the federal government was not aversed to the protest claimed that intelligence and security reports reaching him indicated that some elements within the leadership of the protesters intend to capitalize on the planned protest to cause havoc and irreparable damages to public facilities and blocking of roadways to prevent movement of persons and vehicles and disturb public peace.
In the ruling, Justice Oriji, who recognized the rights of the protesters to embark on peaceful protest, however restricted them to the Stadium in view of the genuine fears expressed by the minister.
"In the light of the above, the court considers it appropriate and expedient to grant an order under the general prayer to ensure that the rights of the protesters are guaranteed and that the protest does not negatively or adversely affect the rights of other citizens to move about and to ensure that that properties and other public facilities are not destroyed.
He therefore ordered the 1st to 5th respondents to "use the Moshood Abiola Stadium" only for the protest.
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