FEATURED
Court Awards N1m Against FG Over Disrupting RevolutonNow Protest
The Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded N1m against the Federal Government over the police disruption of the August 5, 2019 #RevolutionNow protest.
The court awarded the N1m in favour of a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, who said he participated in the #RevolutionNow protest and was among those tear-gassed by security agents.
The nationwide protest was convened by the publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, who was arrested by the Department of State Services on August 3.
The court, in a judgment by Justice Maureen Onyetenu, declared the disruption of the peaceful protest by the Federal Government, through the police, as “ illegal, oppressive, undemocratic and unconstitutional.”
The judge agreed with the applicant in the suit, Ogungbeje, who sued on behalf of himself and other participants in the protest, that the Federal Government deprived them of their right to peaceful assembly and association, in violation of sections 38, 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution.
The judge also condemned “the mass arrest, harassment, tear-gassing, and clamping into detention” of the protesters.
Ogungbeje had urged the court to award N500m as general and exemplary damages against the Federal Government, DSS, and the Attorney General of the Federation, but the court only awarded N1m.
The judge also upheld the defence of the DSS that it was not involved in the disruption of the protest.
According to Punch report, in an affidavit, which he filed in support of the suit, Ogungbeje said when he was co-opted into the #RevolutionNow protest, as a lawyer, he checked the constitution and found that it was lawful.
He, however, said on getting to the take-off point of the protest in Lagos “I met agents and operatives of the respondents who had barricaded the venue of the peaceful protest for good governance in Nigeria.
“I was tear-gassed by agents of the respondents and the peaceful protest was forcefully disrupted by the respondents.
“I have been denied my fundamental constitutional rights of peaceful assembly and association by the respondents, without cause.”
Apart from the N1m award, the court also ordered the Federal Government to tender a public apology to the applicant in three national daily newspapers.
2027 Election Tribunals: CJN Warns Judges, Lawyers Against Unethical Conduct
Delta Police Arrest 3 Suspected Cultists, Recover AK-47, Pump-Action Guns
Joint Security Operatives Rescue 20 Abducted Prospective NYSC Corps Members, Civilian in Imo
Umahi: Contractors who Collect FG funds and Abandon Projects risk EFCC, ICPC action
Ondo Traditional Chief Shot Dead During Colleague’s Burial Rites
Edo Security: Group Lauds Gov Okpebholo For Ending Cult Killings, Tackling Kidnapping
Peter Obi: ‘I Have No Evidence I Won 2023 Presidential Election’
Delta North: Okowa Hails Asagba of Asaba’s Two Years Of Service-Driven Leadership
Trans-Forcados Oil Spill: Oborevwori Orders Medical Teams, Cleanup as Affected Communities Rise to 216
Rufai’s Bail Fight Takes New Turn as Appeal Court Reserves Judgment
DOPF 2026 Conference: Prof Dode Oghenedoro to Speak on Democracy Under Pressure in Asaba
NAF Releases Names of 25 Officers Killed in Ondo Plane Crash — Full List
WUEDA DG Ejinyere Hosts Warri NUJ, Seeks Partnership on Development Reporting, Project Verification
I Sleep, Eat Thinking About Tinubu’s Re-Election — Wike
Tinubu Declares 3-Day National Mourning for 32 Air Force Personnel Killed in Ondo Plane Crash
