A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has restricted August 1protesters to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota and Peace Park in the Ketu areas of the state within a stipulated period of the day.
The presiding judge, Emmanuel Ogundare, granted the restriction order on Tuesday, while ruling on an ex parte application filed by Lawal Pedro, the Lagos State Attorney-General.
Despite persuasions to shelve the nationwide protest slated for August 1 to 10, youths across the country have vowed to express their frustration with the government over the hardship in the country.
While moving his application, Pedro argued that as the chief law officer of Lagos and has been privy to notices by different interests who are for and against the nationwide protest, there is a need to protect the infrastructure of the state and prevent the irreparable loss of lives and properties as witnessed during the EndSARS protest in 2020.
The Lagos attorney-general told the court that the police in the state do not have sufficient manpower to provide security support for the protesters who planned to protest in all the local government councils, public highways, and other areas of public access.
Pedro further argued that there is a need to prevent the demonstration from being hijacked by hoodlums who are prepared to breach law and order and cause destruction in different locations in Lagos under the pretext of public protest against alleged bad governance.
“In recognition of the citizens’ fundamental right to stage 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,” Pedro said.
“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 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.”
In his ruling, Ogundare granted all the reliefs sought by Pedro.
The judge also held that the protest from August 1 to 10 should only be held within the approved locations and between “8am to 6pm, pending compliance with the pre-action protocol by the claimant”.
The state high court also ordered the police to protect the fundamental rights of protesters within the approved designated location and time for peaceful public protests, rallies, and meetings in Lagos state.
