Lagos High Court extends restriction order for protest locations

A Lagos High Court in Igbosere has extended a previous order that limits protesters in Lagos to the Freedom and Peace Parks located in Ojoto and Ketu.

Justice S.I. Sonaike issued the extension after Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, applied for it.

Pedro, represented in court by Director for Civil Litigations, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga, confirmed that the original order had been served to all respondents as per the pre-action protocols mandated by a prior judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogundare.

He argued that though the respondents in the suit were yet to respond to the application, there is a need to extend the earlier restriction order of the protest to two venues so that the state can continue to enjoy the relative peace being experienced despite the ongoing protests across the country.

In her ruling, Justice Sonaike noted that she is satisfied with the AG’s compliance with the orders of Justice Ogundare and order that the restriction of the protests to Freedom and Peace Parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of the state be extended until full compliance with the preaction orders.

Justice Ogundare, last week, while ruling on a preemptive exparte application filed Mr Pedro seeking to maintain and secure public safety and prevent irreparable loss of lives and property in the state during the period of the protests, placed restrictions on the protesters.

Listed in the application as co-defendants are Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for Active Citizens Group); Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto (for Take It Back Movement); persons unknown; and Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.

While moving his application before the court, Mr. Pedro argued that, as the Chief Law Officer of the State and having been privy to notices by different interests who are for and against the nationwide protest, there is a need to protect the critical infrastructures of the state and prevent an irreparable loss of lives and property as witnessed during the EndSARS protest in 2020.