The Federal High Court sitting in Ikeja has struck out a suit by the Save Nigeria Group 
(SNG) instituted against the Federal Government over an alleged violation of its members’ rights while protesting against the removal of fuel subsidy in January.
Presiding judge, Justice Steven Adah struck out the suit in his ruling on the preliminary objection filed by the Federal Government.
The SNG had asked the court to award the sum of N100 million against the Federal Government for allegedly violating its members’ rights by deploying military troops to stop its week-long protest on the 16th of January at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, area of Lagos.
The Federal Government had countered with a preliminary objection, insisting that the suit was not competent because the mode of commencing it was defective.
Justice Adah upheld the argument by the Federal Government’s counsel, Mr. Taiwo Abidogun.
He held that the commencement of the suit through a motion on notice application instead of an originating processes was a fatal defect and could not be overlooked as a mere irregularity.
According to the judge, the non-compliance with the rules “has robbed the court of the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.”
“Rules of court are meant to be obeyed and obeyed strictly” he said.
Counsel for the SNG, Mr Babatunde Ogungbamila, has however said that the group was going to re-file the suit.