Tinubu Gov’t Finds Willing Ally In Justice Emeka Nwite Who Swiftly Gave 3 Orders Against #EndBadGovernance Protesters To Silence Dissent

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has found support from Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja to suppress opposition to its policies, which critics argue are harmful to the people and democracy.

These policies, implemented over the past 15 months, have led to widespread poverty and a surge in the cost of living, with basic food items like beans and rice reaching record prices of N400 and N300 per cup, respectively.

However, the government’s policies have targeted dissenting voices and media practitioners, with Justice Nwite’s recent rulings legitimising the crackdown on critics of the administration.

Opponents argue that these policies, introduced within the first 15 months, have had devastating consequences for the nation. The court’s decisions have been perceived as aligning with the government’s position, fueling debates about the delicate balance between governance and the freedom to express dissenting opinions.

Checks by SaharaReporters show that Justice Emeka Nwite was the judge who gave an ex-parte order freezing accounts of some alleged #EndBadGovernance protesters.

SaharaReporters reported on Sunday that a Federal High Court in Abuja had issued an order freezing the bank accounts of 32 individuals and companies allegedly linked to the #EndBadGovernance protests that took place across Nigeria between August 1 and August 10.

The protests were meant to highlight the challenges Nigerians faced with increasing hunger, misgovernance and exacerbating insecurity that have forced residents to abandoned their farms, leading to food insecurity.

The order also directed banks to detain account holders or anyone found transacting business on the affected accounts, pending investigation and prosecution.

The Inspector General of Police, in the application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1219/2024, listed PA.LIN.HO Global Service Ltd, Innocent Angel Lovet Chinyere Nkiru, Obidient Movement Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Innocent Angel Lovet, Great Communicators Champion Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd as the 1st to 5th respondents respectively

Others include Great Communicators Champion Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd, Opaluwa Eleojo Bob-Simon, NUEE State Chapter, Adeyemi Abiodun Abayomi, Adaramoye Michael Tobiloba, Popoola Festus as 6th to 11th respondents respectively.

Similarly, Justice Nwite granted an ex-parte order granting the police permission to keep detained protesters for additional 60 days in prison custody pending investigation.

Justice Nwite, now widely criticised for his perceived alignment with government interests, has also granted separate police requests to detain 75 and 49 protesters for 60 days, pending the completion of investigation.

Notably, among the 124 protesters are over 20 minors, aged 14-17, facing questionable charges of terrorism, treason, and treasonable felonies solely for participating in protests against hunger and deprivation.

In separate ex-parte orders, the court granted the police request to remand the protesters for 60 days, alleging that they had committed offences related to terrorism financing aimed at overthrowing a democratically elected government.

Additionally, the protesters were accused of backing certain disgruntled individuals who were reportedly flying the flag of another country within Nigeria.

The defendants (protesters) include Comrade Opaluwa Eleojo, Michael Adaramuye, Musiu Sadiq, Buhari Lawal, Love Angel Innocent, Suleiman Yakubu, Yunusa Aliyu, Ahmad Nasir, Muhammed Sani, Iliyasu Anas, Abdullahi Sani and Gaddafi Muhammed.

They also include Jibrin Abdulhakim, Mahmud Umar, Kabiru Rabiu, Aminu Muhammed, Sagir Hassan, Lukman Abubakar, Ahmed Isah, Abdullahi Abdulwahab, Hassan Muhammad, Abdullahi Salisu, Sabo Murtala, Fahad Ibrahim, Umar Yakubu, Zakari Yakubu and Ahmed Haruna, among others.

Also, Justice Nwite refused to release the passport of the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowere, despite several failed attempts to try him for alleged treason.

Sowore was, in 2019, restricted to Abuja by a Federal High Court following charges of treasonable felony and cyberstalking, among other offences.

But in April 2022, a Court of Appeal in Abuja lifted the movement restriction on the activist.

The Appeal Court ruled that Sowore could now leave Abuja but not travel out of Nigeria.

The court described the restriction of Sowore’s movement to Abuja as “excessive”, and therefore, lifted it.

But in July 2023, Justice Nwite ruled in favour of the government claiming that since the case was starting de novo (starting afresh), he could not entertain Sowore’s application.

However, in February 2024, President Bola Tinubu’s administration through the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) withdrew the charges of treason against the former presidential candidate.

Also, in the defamation and cyber-stalking suit filed against Sowore by the FCT Commissioner of Police on behalf of Senator Ned Nwoko following the failure of the police to serve the 3rd defendant (SaharaReporters Media Group Incorporated) a hearing notice, Justice Nwite also insisted that the former presidential candidate must keep coming from the United States for the trial.

After court proceedings on May 2, 2024, one of Sowore’s lawyers, Tope Temokun, who addressed journalists, said, “We are not saying we are running away from the trial. Omoyele Sowore travelled all the way from the United States just because of this matter.

“He has not been arraigned. But the simple question we are asking is that if you have brought SaharaReporters to court, from your proof of evidence, SaharaReporters is resident in New York. Did you serve SaharaReporters that this matter is for today?

“They want the court to overlook that and allow the court to do things anyhow. Our own intention is that we cannot allow things to be done anyhow. The person involved in this; everybody knows that the matter will not end here. We are looking at the Supreme Court.

“We want to protect the records of the court. We cannot allow the police to do a lazy man’s work and reap where they did not sow.

“The court said there is a need for SaharaReporters to be served with the hearing notice for the next proceedings.

“The court is still insisting that Mr. Omoyele Sowore is representing SaharaReporters but we are saying for the purpose of this trial, you cannot force representation of SaharaReporters on him.”