The President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to hasten the implementation of the five demands of the #EndSARS protesters approved earlier this week by the federal government.

The Presidential Panel on Police Reforms had on Tuesday agreed to the five-points demand of protesters against police brutality which included halting use of force against protesters and unconditional release of arrested citizens.

Lawan, who spoke at plenary in the wake of #EndSARS protests at the National Assembly gate, urged the federal government to expedite action on the requests of the protesters.

His words: “I will urge the federal government, I mean we should push the executive arm of government to ensure that those demands are implemented as quickly as possible”.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking N130million as damages from the Federal Government and Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) for violation of the rights of ex-Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo held among others that the applicant, DR. N.S Nwawka, filed the suit without Justice Onnoghen’s permission, thus he had no locus standi.

In his October 12 ruling, the judge held: “I have looked at the originating processes filed by the applicant herein, with due respect to him, I do not see any nexus between him and the respondents jointly or severally.

“I do not see his remote or immediate interest in the matter in which he has not been instructed to file by the former Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I pose a question to him and this is whether the Former CJN has told him that he is incapable of fighting his own battle or that he is even ready for any battle against anybody?”

The judge also declined to grant Nwawka leave to apply for a referral of some “constitutional questions to the Court of Appeal” for determination.

He held: “The applicant’s motion is incompetent as it is and I therefore dismiss same….

“My conclusion is that the NPO is meritorious and I therefore dismiss the action filed by the applicant. The action to say the least is a waste of the time of the court. If the applicant has time to file this type of unmeritorious action, the time of the court is valuable and should not be wasted. Case dismissed.”

Nwawka, who appeared in person, brought the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/16/2020 on January 7, 2020

At the hearing of the substantive case on July 15, he averred that that sometime in 2019, Immigration officers stationed at the international airport prevented the former CJN from travelling to Ghana and confiscated his international passport without any prior order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

He also alleged that the Federal Government has refused to pay Onnoghen his terminal benefit and that there is no pending prosecution of the former CJN to warrant such treatment.

Dr Nwawka said he approached the court as a concerned citizen to enforce Onnoghen’s fundamental rights to travel in and out of Nigeria unhindered and rights to freedom from inhuman, humiliating and degrading treatment.

Besides the N130m as general and exemplary damages, he also sought an order court directing the respondents to immediately release Onnoghen’s international passport Number A50445233 confiscated since November 11, 2019, as well as a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from any further foreign travel ban against the Fmr CJN.

But the government’s lawyer, Mrs Habiba U. Chime opposed him, on the ground among others that Nwawka did not disclose how his legal rights were affected by the acts complained of.

She argued that the applicant did not disclose any legal or equitable interest of his that was attacked and that the suit was wrongly commenced at the Federal High Court.

The 2nd respondent, was not represented nor filed any process.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has frozen the accounts of 15 textile smugglers across the country.

Deputy Governor Corporate Services of the CBN Mr. Edward L. Adamu made this disclosure at a stakeholders meeting of Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) associations in Abuja on Thursday.

Adamu noted that CBN’s intervention in the Cotton, Textile and Garments (CTG) industry is in full swing and has recorded significant progress.

Some of the achievements, he said, include: over ₦120billion invested across CTG value chain; over 320,000 farmers financed between 2018-2020 and expected output for seed cotton in 2020 is projected to be over 300,000 metric tons.

All these, he said, is expected to enhance the production capacity of the ginneries in producing over 102,000 metric tons of cotton lint which in turn will meet and surpass the cotton lint requirement of the Textile Industries.

Currently, Nigeria’s domestic demand for cotton he said: “is met through local production, thereby halting importation of cotton for the textile industry, Increase in capacity utilization of ginneries as the ginneries now operate throughout the year, compared to six (6) months in recent past.”

In addition, he said 19 ginneries have been resuscitated across the country; and more are expected to join this year.

Speaking to journalists at the meeting Mr. Philip Yusuf Yila, Director Development Finance of the CBN, said the apex bank is “working with the textiles through the Bank of Industry to see how we can retool them and take the ginneries to the textile”

He revealed the “CBN is really collaboration with all the agencies and the Customs. The biggest challenge is people smuggling textiles and garments. As you are aware a lot of them have had their accounts blocked. As restitution, we are telling them to go patronize the local textile factories”.

With regards to uniform services patronizing local textiles, Yila stated the CBN is “working with them. We have taken them to all the textile companies to see that the quality meets their standard.

“This year we are looking at over 300,000 tonnes of seed cotton that will be ginned into lint that will be taken to the textile companies and then we will work with the uniformed services to off take them.”

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police Muhammed Adamu “over ongoing intimidation, harassment and attacks on peaceful protesters campaigning against police brutality and corruption across the country.”

The suit followed widespread protests demanding reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Joined as Respondents in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN and Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu.

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1451/2020 filed this morning at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order to protect and secure the fundamental rights of peaceful protesters across the country participating in the #EndSARS/#SARSMustEnd protests or any other peaceful protests, to wit: their rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

SERAP is also seeking “an order of injunction restricting the Federal Government and the police whether by themselves, their officers or agents, from stopping the protests and from harassing, arresting, detaining, or violating in any other ways the fundamental rights of Nigerians participating in peaceful protests across the country.”

SERAP said: “The right to protest constitutes the very foundation of a system of participatory governance based on democracy, human rights, the rule of law and pluralism. Failure to respect and ensure the right to peaceful protest is typically a marker of repression.”

SERAP also said: “In a democracy, people must be given the freedom to come together to express their opinions on issues they care deeply about. The role of government is to facilitate that democratic participation, and not to restrict or criminalize it.”

The organisation is asking the court for “an order directing the Federal Government and Nigeria police to identify all perpetrators of brutality and human rights violations against peaceful protesters across the country, and bring them to justice without further delay.”

SERAP is also asking the court for “an order compelling and directing the Federal Government and Nigeria police to disclose the total number of protesters in the #EndSARS/#SARSMustEnd protests arrested across the country, their places of detention and details of allegations against them.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Opeyemi Owolabi, read in part: “The fundamental human right to protest enables individuals to express themselves collectively and to participate in shaping their societies. The right of peaceful assembly is important in its own right, as it protects the ability of people to exercise individual autonomy in solidarity with others.”

“A protest is a form of expression of views on current issues affecting government and the governed in a sovereign state. It is a trend recognised and deeply entrenched in the system of governance in civilized countries. It will not only be primitive but also retrogressive if Nigeria continues to stifle or cripple this right.”

“Peaceful assemblies can play a critical role in allowing participants to advance ideas and aspirational goals in the public domain and to establish the extent of support for or opposition to those ideas and goals.”

SERAP is seeking “an order for the immediate and unconditional release of all those still being detained across the country solely for peacefully exercising their rights. The court should direct the Federal Government and Nigeria Police to immediately identify all victims of police brutality during the protests and adequately compensate each of the victims [and their families] by paying each the sum of N200,000,000:00.”

“SERAP is also seeking a declaration that the action of the Federal Government and Nigeria Police to intimidate, harass, threaten, arrest, beat, shoot, kill and detain unarmed peaceful protesters in the #EndSARS/#SARSMustEnd protests since 7th October, 2020 to date is wrongful, unlawful and constitutes gross violation of the protesters’ human rights.”

“SERAP is seeking a declaration that the response by the Federal Government and Nigeria Police to protests across the country since 7th October, 2020 to date is wrongful, unlawful and constitutes gross violation of the protesters’ rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly guaranteed under Sections 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40 and 41 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 [as amended.”

“Paragraph 3[e] [i]-[v] of the Preamble to the Fundamental Rights [Enforcement Procedure] Rules 2009, provides that the court shall encourage and welcome public interest litigations in the human rights field and no human rights case may be dismissed or struck out for want of locus standi.”

“The Rules also provide that the applicant in a case like this may include any of the following: anyone acting in his own interest; anyone acting on behalf of another person; anyone acting as a member of, or in the interest of a group or class of persons; anyone acting in the public interest, and association acting in the interest of its members or other individuals or groups.”

“The fundamental right of citizens to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and freedom of association are guaranteed by Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 9 and 10 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right. These provisions are clear, direct and unambiguous.”

“These rights are formulated and designed to confer on every person the right to assemble freely, protest, and associate with other persons.”

“The right to protest on matters of public concern are rights which are in the public interest and that which individuals must possess and which they should exercise without impediment as long as no wrongful act is done.”

“In a democracy, it is the right of citizens to conduct peaceful processions, rallies or demonstrations. It is a right guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.”

“The obligation to respect and ensure peaceful assemblies imposes negative and positive duties on States before, during and after assemblies.”

“The negative duty entails that there be no unwarranted interference with peaceful assemblies. States must also protect participants against possible abuse by non-State actors, such as interference or violence by other members of the public, counterdemonstrators and private security providers.”

According to Amnesty International, “at least 10 people have died in the ongoing protests over police brutality. The excessive use of force by the police in response to the protests reveals the longstanding disregard for the right to life by Nigerian security forces.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

The Lagos State government has on Thursday denied involvement in the allegations that it hired hoodlums to attack Nigerians protesting against police brutality.

In a statement signed by Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner, Information and Strategy​, the government described the allegations as untrue and wicked.

It blamed the allegations on “enemies of peace and orderliness” who seek to stir up bad sentiments against the government despite its efforts to resolve the crisis by identifying with young people in their efforts towards police reforms.

“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been preaching peace. So has the Deputy Governor, who addressed the protesters last Friday. The Governor has addressed them twice – at the Lekki Toll Gate and at the House of Assembly. He even carried a placard and marched with the youths after assuring them that he felt their pains and that it was legitimate for them to protest,” Omotoso said.

He also recalled that the Governor visited the President to tender a five-point demand from the protesters. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also ensured that all the protesters arrested by the police were released unconditionally.

“The enemies of progress, who are not happy that Lagos is not on fire, are the ones fueling the infernal lies that the government was sponsoring thugs to attack our protesting youths. They have been posting on the social media pictures suggesting that a Lagos Bus Service Ltd. (LBSL) vehicle was conveying thugs. The bus in question was on its normal operation when it ran into a group of protesters. The passengers, who felt endangered, rushed out of the bus. They returned to continue their journey after the charging crowd had left,” Omotoso said.

Protesters at Alausa had on Thursday taking to social media to post pictures and videos of hundreds of thugs arriving in about 20 buses with the aim to bring an end to the protest by any means necessary.

As soon as the alighted from the buses, the thugs who were wielding big sticks, cutlasses, and guns, according to eyewitnesses, began to chase and beat up protesters.

“The government seeks the co-operation of all in ensuring that the crisis is put behind us as soon as possible,” the commissioner said.

The Anambra state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has said that the former OC SARS in Awkuzu, Mr. James Nwafor will be relieved of his political appointment and recommended for immediate prosecution, likewise other SARS officials that abused their offices.

Governor Obiano who spoke to the #ENDSARS protesters earlier today, Thursday, October 15th, 2020,  at the Government House, Awka said that effective tomorrow, all illegal detainees in various SARS formations in the state will be released, while officers found wanting will be prosecuted.

He addressed other issues raised by the protesters asking them to open up the expressway which has been blocked.

CSP NWAFORIt cannot be confirmed if CSP Nwafor has been officially be relieved of his duty and arrested, or is this another lip service by the government.

Amongst the youths that gathered in their numbers are popular Nollywood actor, Zubby Micheal (popularly known as Eze ndi ala), Bob Manuel Udokwu, Slow Dogg and a handful of popular social media influencers like Anambra 1st son, amongst others.

In the coming days, we will follow the trail as regards the release of the illegal detainees, prosecution of rogue police officers, the campaign for #EndSARS, #EndPoliceBrutality, #EndSWAT and other.

Angry Nigerians protesting the high-handedness of the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday in Abuja chased away some lawmakers, who had come to address them and insisted on seeing the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, instead.

All efforts to pacify and calm the crowd proved abortive.

Armed policemen at the gate of the complex had a hectic time controlling the protesters, who vowed not to leave the premises.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello, has announced a ban on all protesters in Abuja.

He said the activities of the protesters had endangered lives of citizens going about their legitimate businesses.

Governors of states in the Northern part of Nigeria have rejected the total disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

Lalong said the defunct police unit had been useful in the fight against insecurity in the region. 

According to him, SARS was not made up of bad elements alone as it also included personnel doing their work diligently.

He said what was needed was the reformation of the unit to enable it to discharge its functions optimally. 

Lalong, however, acknowledged that there were divisions in the country concerning the continued existence of the unit.