A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed against nationwide protesters who were demonstrating against economic hardship.
The dismissal was due to a lack of diligent prosecution.
Justice Peter Lifu presided over the case, where neither the 17 plaintiffs nor the 26 defendants appeared with legal representation.
The plaintiffs, representing various geopolitical zones, had sought the court’s intervention to stop the protests, arguing that their fundamental rights, including freedom of movement and the right to property, were being violated.
They urged the court to instruct security agencies, including the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Chiefs of Army and Defence Staff, to take action against the protesters.
The plaintiffs cited damage to public and private property in states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa.
The defendants in the case included prominent activists, government officials, and security agencies.
Despite the case being scheduled for hearing, none of the involved parties appeared in court, leading Justice Lifu to conclude that the plaintiffs were no longer interested in pursuing the matter. Consequently, the judge struck out the suit.
The protests in question spanned ten days, from August 1 to August 10, during which Nigerian youths voiced their frustrations over the country’s economic challenges.
