Court voids proscription of peace corps by Police

A Federal HighCourt sitting inAbuja has voided the proscription of the Peace Corps of Nigeria by the Nigeria Police saying that the act is null and void.The Peace Corps of Nigeria had earlier dragged the Nigeria Police , the Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) and Minister of Justice and the National Security Adviser to the president to court challenging its proscription.The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, who delivered the judgment, held that the Nigeria Police had not given any reason why the organisation should be proscribed, stressing that the plaintiffs were not given fair hearing .The judge also held that it was only a valid court order or judgment that can be effective in this instance, adding that If the defendants feel that the organization should be proscribe they have to bring it to court and give the reason(s) why the court should do so.The court further confirm that the plaintiff was a registered organization recognized by the Nigeria Police itself and this was evident by virtue of the communication between the Peace Corps of Nigeria and the Police which was made available to the court.The court also stated that it was on record that the Peace Corps of Nigeria had won several similar cases in court challenging it existence as a legally registered entity.All the defendants had earlier raised an objection that the action filed by the Plaintiff constituted an abuse of court process as another similar case is pending at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.Responding on this, Justice Auta held that for an action to constitute an abuse of court process, there must be intention, purpose, and interference with the course of justice. It must also concern the parties in the same matter.The court further revealed that the parties were not the same in this instance case and consequently decline to uphold the objection.The court held that the proscription of the Peace Corps of Nigeria by the Nigeria Police was a breach of their fundamental right to lawful assembly and association as guarantee by the constitution.The court therefore granted all the reliefs sought by the Peace Corps of Nigeria and consequently held that its proscription was null void.
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