Court Sets Boundaries for Lagos Protest

Court Restricts Protest to Freedom, Peace Parks

Lagos orotest confined to designated areas...

Lagos High Court restricts nationwide protest to two locations, Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park and Peace Park, citing security concerns and need to protect infrastructure and prevent loss of life and property.

A Lagos High Court has granted an ex parte application filed by the State's Attorney General, Lawal Pedro (SAN), restricting the planned nationwide protest in Lagos to two designated locations - Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in Ketu.

Justice Emmanuel Ogundare issued a pre-emptive injunction, limiting the defendants' ability to hold protests in Lagos from August 1 to 10, unless they occur within the designated hours of 8 am and 6 pm at either of the two specified locations.

The defendants listed in the application include Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba of the Active Citizens Group, Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto of the Take It Back Movement, as well as unnamed individuals and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

The Attorney General, representing the state, argued that it is essential to protect Lagos' critical infrastructure and prevent potential loss of life and property, citing the devastating consequences of the 2020 EndSARS protests. This necessitates restricting the protest to designated areas, ensuring public safety and order.

Pedro highlighted the police force's limited manpower in the state, making it challenging to provide adequate security for widespread protests across all local government areas, public highways, and accessible locations.

He stressed that restricting the protest to designated areas is vital to prevent hijacking by hoodlums, who might capitalize on the situation to incite chaos, cause destruction, and undermine public order under the pretext of protesting against alleged poor governance.

According to Pedro, “In recognition of the citizens' fundamental right to stage a public protest against government policies and actions but prevent unlawful destruction of lives and properties in the process, the Lagos State Government has designated two public spaces and locations in the State where citizens can meet and converge to protest or express their displeasure against government.

“The locations are Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, Lagos State and Peace Park, Ketu, Lagos State.

“Public protest in all the local government councils and public highways as well as other areas of public access in the State for 10 days is a deliberate plan to shut down the State and if this is allowed it will amount to economic sabotage.

“An order of the court is required in the circumstances so as to protect the fundamental rights of 1st to 5th Defendants/Respondents to protest and other residents opposed to the protest to go about their lawful without harassment, disturbance and destruction of public buildings/properties.”

Justice Ogundare ruled in favor of the Attorney General's application, granting all the requested reliefs after carefully considering Pedro's arguments.