A N50 million suit seeking compensation from the Sokoto state government and six others for pains its members allegedly suffered due to the unlawful acts of the respondents has been instituted by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) at the Federal High Court, Sokoto.
The case was instituted by the trio of Professor Shehu Maigandi, Malam Kasimu Mohammed and Malam Sidi Mannir on behalf of the Sect and its members in Sokoto state against Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the Sokoto state government.
Also included are: the state Attorney General, the state Director, the State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police as well as the Director, DSS, Abuja.
In their motion on notice signed by Barrister Richard T. Angber, they prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from ever making any unfounded and unverified publications capable of inciting the public against their members.
At the resummed hearing on Thurday, counsel to IMN, Mr Alex Ajodo urged the court to declare the incessant harrasment and molestation of members of the group during their religious procession by men of the Sokoto state Command as a deliberate infringement of their fundamental rights as guaranteed by sections 35(1), 35(1) (a) and 38(1) of the 1999 constitution respectively.
He argued that the actions of the police had hindered the group from freely performing their religious obligations in the state.
Similarly, the group sought for another declaration that the wide radio broadcast on Rima Radio and other local radio houses around Sokoto state about the applicants and the subsequent publication in the Daily Trust on September, 28,2017 by the Sokoto state government, the Governor and Attorney General of the state was unfounded, unwarranted, ill-conceived, inciting and outright demonstration of hatred capable of setting the public against them.
However, in their preliminary objections, Counsels to the State government and the Police Commissioner and Inspector General of police, Barrister Steve Emelieze and Isma’il Lawal said the court has no jurisdiction to entertain the case which was filed by a non-natural and non-jurisdicting persons.
According to them, the group is not known by the law and asked the court to strike out the case.
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