Judge transfers suit against Buhari, Saraki, Dogara over alleged Islamisation

• 16 police officers sue Fashola, others

A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has transferred to Abuja a case filed by Dr. Nwankwo Tony Nwaezeigwe and members of Nigeria Civil War and Genocide Research Network against President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara over an alleged attempt to Islamise the country.

During the resumed hearing on the case yesterday, the presiding judge, Justice Alfred Faji, said since all the defendants live in Abuja, it would be right to transfer it to avoid stress on all parties.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Precious Nwadinuya, had at the hearing protested the transfer, but the judge asked for reasons why it should not be transferred.

Nwadinuya averred that since the plaintiff lives in Asaba, and all the federal courts are in the Delta State capital, the case could be heard in the city.

But in a swift reaction, counsel to the National Assembly, Filemo Yakubu, agreed with the court on the transfer, adding that since all the defendants live in Abuja, it would accelerate the hearing and reduce all the parties’ inconveniences.

Meanwhile, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) and Solomon Asemota (SAN), leading counsel to the plaintiffs’ legal team, assured that justice would be done to the case.

Nwaezeigwe, while speaking with journalists said: “This is the present position of the case now that it has been transferred to Abuja. As we move forward to the next level in our struggle, we invite every lover of the unity of this country based on freedom of worship without discrimination to join us in this most civilised manner and approach.”

In another development, sixteen serving senior police officers have sued the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and others over alleged forceful eviction from their premises at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The case has been fixed for hearing tomorrow.

At the last adjourned date, the trial Judge, Justice Rabiu Shagari, had issued an interim order directing parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing of the suit.