Soldiers: Falana sues Jonathan, Adoke...

Hello Friends!

In the News Today:

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, has sued President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, for N500m over an alleged violation of his rights by soldiers deployed in Lagos
.The soldiers were deployed in the state to quell protests against the removal of subsidy on fuel.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos on Wednesday, Falana alleged that the soldiers acted on the authority of the President to violate his constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of expression, assembly and movement.The applicant said he was on January 16 prevented by the armed soldiers deployed by the first Respondent (President Jonathan) from expressing his opinion on the removal of fuel subsidy at the Gani Fawehinmi Park.He said, “At about 7:30am on January 16, 2012 I was stopped at Maryland, Lagos by armed soldiers, who prevented me from moving to the venue of the rallies and ordered me to return home.”He asked the court to order the respondents to pay him“the sum of N500m, being general damages for the violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights to freedom of assembly and association, freedom of movement and freedom of expression.”He also sought the court to give an order of perpetual injunction,“restraining the respondents, their agents, privies and servants from further violating the applicant’s fundamental rights to freedom of assembly and association, freedom of movement and freedom of expression in any manner whatsoever and howsoever.”“The order issued by the 1st respondent (President Jonathan) on the 16th of January, 2012 curtailing the applicant’s fundamental rights to freedom of expression, right to assembly and movement and enforced by the 2nd respondent through his armed agents is a violation of the fundamental rights of the applicant as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.” (Courtesy Punch Newspapers).

Last Words: Sincerely? I have been waiting patiently for a colleague to take the "bull" by its horn and put it in its rightful place. I am not disappointed at all! It is outrageous on the surface, for any "democratic"government to prevent the lawful protest by her citizens against any unfavorable policy. It's even worse to prevent the peaceful movement of an individual who knows his rights and stands for the truth and obedience to the constitution. Just maybe this would bring back the senses of our government to remember that we are in a democratic dispensation and thus our constitutional rights should not be violated in any way/manner.Does GEJ have a copy of the Nigerian Constitution? Does the AG (Mr Adoke) still remembers Chapter 4 of that Constitution?

XOXO

Simply Cheska.