Court Bars Police From Stopping #BringBackOurGirls Protest

An Abuja High Court has ruled that the Police lack the powers to prevent protests against government’s handling of the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls of the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.

Delivering judgement in the suit filed by members of the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ group, Justice Ebenezer Aladetoyinbo declared that the Public Order Act, cap. 382, Laws of Nigeria, 1990, which the Police relied on, does not authorise the Police to disrupt rallies or processions on the abducted Chibok girls.

It all began as an attempt to put pressure on the Federal Government to rescue the 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in Borno State on April 14, 2014. Some Nigerians began a daily sit out at the Unity Fountain in Abuja.

However, the sit out by members of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign soon attracted attention which led to a former Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, banning the protests on June 2, 2014.

The #BringBackOurGirls activists responded to the ban with a court action which led to the judgement.

While the lawyer to the activists applauded the verdict of the court, the lawyer to the Police said that the judgement would be studied.

Peaceful street demonstrations in Abuja have become a regular feature of the campaign to put pressure on the government and keep the issue in the public domain.