TheCable

The legal representative of the #BringBackOurGirls group, Femi Falana (SAN), says the group is ready to cooperate with the police to achieve the common goal of maintaining law and order.

At the hearing of the suit filed by Hadiza Bala Usman of the BBOG group against the FCT commissioner of police, Joseph Mbu, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Falana argued that the June 3 police ban on the #BringBackOurGirls protest infringed on the fundamental rights of members of the group.

“It has been established that the police have no right to ban peaceful assemblies, rallies or protests,” he said, citing a Supreme Court judgment.

“The rights of citizens in this matter are also protected by the constitution. The leaders of the peaceful rally should work with the police to ensure there is no breakdown of law and order.”

However, counsel to CP Mbu, Simon Lough, argued that the court has no jurisdiction to handle the case.

“The reason why we are objecting to the hearing of this matter before this court is that the court does not have competence to try this matter,” Lough said.

“The issue we raised is that any matter that involves the Nigeria police as an agency of the federal government has to be tried by the Federal High Court — not by the FCT High Court. And the Supreme Court has settled issue.”

Justice S E Aladetoyinbo, who said he wanted to “deliver a sound judgment”, adjourned the case to July 14 for the verdict.