A leading member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kaduna State, Yusuf Shehu Bello, has taken the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police to the Federal High Court in Kaduna, challenging what he described as unlawful restrictions on political gatherings.
Through his lawyer, Barrister Farouk Dikko, Bello filed an interlocutory injunction seeking to stop the police from suspending, disrupting, or interfering with political meetings held in hotels or other public places across the state.
Speaking to journalists on Monday after filing the suit, Bello argued that the Kaduna Police Command’s recent directive requiring political parties to give prior notice before convening meetings was unconstitutional and violated the fundamental right of association guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.
“We went to court to protect our democratic rights. The police do not have constitutional powers to suspend political activities. Their duty is to provide security and ensure such gatherings remain peaceful,” Bello stated.
His counsel, Dikko, emphasized that the relief sought was to prevent the police from exceeding their authority.
“The Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to freedom of assembly. What we are asking is for the court to compel the police to respect this right and provide adequate protection during political events instead of disrupting them,” he explained.
The suit follows a recent violent attack at an ADC meeting at the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) hotel in Kaduna, where suspected thugs stormed the venue and left several members injured.
The case is expected to come up for hearing in the coming days.
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