14th January 2025
Agency Report
A legal practitioner, Abba Hikima, has filed a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1749/3024 against the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on behalf of vulnerable residents.
The vulnerable FCT residents including scavengers, beggars, and petty traders, among others, are demanding N500 million in damages over an alleged breach of their fundamental rights.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, on Tuesday, Hikima in the case filed listed as the applicant in the originating motion dated Nov. 19, 2024, but filed Nov. 20, 2024, said he was suing in the public interest for the protection of vulnerable citizens in Nigeria.
The applicant sued Wike; Inspector-General (I-G) of Police; Director-General, Department of State Services and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as 1st to 4th respondents.
The lawyer also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Federal Government of Nigeria as 5th to 6th respondents respectively.
He is praying for an order awarding the sum of N500 million as general and exemplary damages for the violation of the fundamental rights of the affected citizens.
He prayed the court to declare that “the arbitrary arrest, detention without charges, harassment and extortion of homeless persons, scavengers, petty traders, beggars and other vulnerable Nigerians resident in the FCT, constitute a violation of their fundamental rights.
The rights, they said, are guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 41 and 42 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”
“A declaration that the treatment of vulnerable citizens, including verbal harassment, physical threats, extortion, and detention without charge, constitutes inhumane and degrading treatment contrary to Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“A declaration that Nigerians regardless of their economic status, place, birth or appearance, have the liberty to move freely in the FCT, Abuja including the liberty to sleep on public roads without let, permission or hindrance whatsoever in accordance with the spirit and purpose of Sections 35, 41 and 42 of the Constitution.”
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He is, therefore, seeking “an order directing the respondents to issue a public apology to the affected individuals and Nigerian citizens at large for the inhumane, arbitrary and unconstitutional treatment meted on them pursuant to the directive of the 1st respondent (Wike) dated the 22nd October, 2024.
“An order mandating the respondents to set in motion and implement immediate policies and reforms, including public education for the realisation of the fundamental human rights of vulnerable Nigerians residing in Nigeria.”
Hikima, in the affidavit he deposed to, averred that on Nov. 12, 2024, at about 11pm, while passing through Ahmadu Bello Way in Abuja, he personally sighted a convoy of a joint task force security operatives and enforcement officers, including personnel of the military and police arresting numerous individuals perceived as homeless persons, scavengers and beggars.
He alleged that those arrested include hawkers of goods such as ice cream, sweets and biscuits; petty traders conducting lawful businesses along the roadside and persons dressed in ways reflecting their economic hardship or appearing homeless.
According to him, in my presence, these individuals were forcefully apprehended, verbally harassed and subjected to physical threats in full view of all passersby, thereby creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
He said he felt devastated as a human rights lawyer and decided to trail the task force’s motorcade from a reasonable distance to Eagle Square along Shehu Shagari Way where they dropped off the victims.
