Court directs NGOs to put N’Assembly ‘on notice’ over motion on anti-social media bill

A Federal High Court in Lagos has directed that the National Assembly be “put on notice” before the court would consider an application seeking to restrain both the Senate and House of Representatives from passing the Frivolous Petitions (Prohibition, Etc) Bill, otherwise known as the Anti-Social Media Bill.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun-Ishola gave the directive while declining to grant a motion ex-parte brought by three non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Enough is Enough Nigeria (EIE); Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN), in a suit challenging the constitutionality of the proposed law.

A lawyer to the NGOs, Mr. Olumide Babalola, had brought the motion on March 23 asking the court to issue an interim injunction restraining the National Assembly from taking further steps at deliberating on and/or reading the Frivolous Petitions (Prohibition etc.) Bill 2015 for the purpose of passing it into law pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit pending before the court.