Falana To Sue FG, Alleges Troops Rudely Curtailed His Movement In Lagos

LAGOS LAWYER, MR. FEMI FALANA

...Soldiers To remain On Lagos Roads Until Calm Is Restored - FG
 
SAN FRANCISCO, January 17, (THEWILL) – Lagos lawyer, politician and activist, Mr. Femi Falana, Tuesday alleged that federal troops ‘rudely curtailed’ his movement and prevented him from joining other protesters over the fuel subsidy issue.
 
Falana’s statement made available to local media reads: “My movement was illegally restricted by armed troops in Lagos.  At about 7.30 this morning, my movement was rudely curtailed at Maryland, Lagos by armed soldiers who claimed that they were under strict instructions “from above” to prevent me from leading or joining fellow Nigerians to continue the popular protests against the illegal increase in the pump price of PMS or petrol.
 
“Shortly thereafter, the members of the Joint Action Front (JAF), who were on a peaceful march from Yaba to the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park, Ojota, were teargassed and dispersed at Fadeyi in Lagos by a combined team of armed goons without any justification.
 
“I have also received complaints of unwarranted harassment of other unarmed protesters in several parts of Lagos. At about 1 a.m this morning, the Freedom Park had been illegally surrounded with armoured tanks by soldiers who subjected innocent members of the public to intimidation in a desperate bid to prevent the resumption of protests against the removal of fuel subsidy.
 
“It is unfortunate that Dr Goodluck Jonathan, who rode to power on the basis of the series of protests held in Lagos and Abuja by civil society organisations, can deploy armed troops to attack the same forces. It is on record that no protest was staged in Niger Delta at the time either by militants or South -South leaders. Those who have opportunistically read ethnic motivations to the struggle of the Nigerian people against the fuel importation scam and gross corruption in the country will soon live to regret their action.
 
“As the militarisation of Lagos cannot be justified under the law, I assure President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Babatunde Fashola that I shall challenge their brazen violation of my fundamental rights to freedom of movement, expression and association guaranteed by the Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights at the Federal High Court within next week.”
 
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army Tuesday said it would not pull troops out of the streets in a hurry, saying they were deployed to assist policemen maintain peace and orderliness in the commercial capital of Lagos, that was the epicenter of protests against the removal of subsidy on fuel.