This Day
The Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies have been barred from blocking access to the premises and court rooms of Abia State High Court or any other court when it is in session.
Handing down the order, Justice Benson Anya said that security agencies have no right to prevent people from having access to the court, while “there must not be any arrests in the premises and vicinity of any court, except as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction”.
He gave the order following the court proceedings on Friday in the case of HIN/FR/14/2021 Nnamdi Kanu Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria and seven others.
The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is in the Abia State High Court seeking a leave to enforce his fundamental rights with the federal government, Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice and DSS, among others, listed as defendants.
The police and other security agencies had formed the habit of restricting movements along Ikot Ekpene road, Umuahia and other adjoining roads as well as barring people from entering the court whenever Kanu’s case came up for hearing.
But Justice Anya faulted the excessive enforcement of security, saying that barricading and impeding access to court is an anomaly in a democratic setting and could only be effected by security agencies if “the head of the court so requests in writing”.
“It is hereby declared unlawful to restrict the citizens and the members of the public access to the courtroom and the court premises during the working hours of the court…
