By Emeka Nwokocha
A Federal High Court sitting in Warri has adjourned the hearing of a suit filed against the Nigerian government and two others by a frontline rights advocate in Nigeria, the Citizens Rights Concern Enhancement Initiative (CRCEI), over reckless abandonment of the deplorable federal roads in Delta state over the years.
The suit, which was billed for first hearing on Monday 15 April, 2024, was adjourned till 10th June, 2024.
Worried about the deplorable condition of federal roads across Delta State, and leveraging the Public Interest and Development Law, CRCEI dragged the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Federal Ministry of Works to court in order to cause the federal government to take immediate action and commence reconstruction of the roads to cushion the pains Nigerians go through every day while playing the dilapidated roads.
The plaintiffs – the Trustees of Citizens Rights Concern Enhancement Initiative, in a suit marked FHC/WR/CS/6/2024 contended that the abandonment of the roads by the defendants amounts to flagrant violation of the rights of Nigerian citizens.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to determine, among other dilapidated federal roads in Delta State, “Whether the reckless abandonment of the bad portions of Agbor-Sapele Trunk A federal highway (particularly the deteriorated Eku, NUT junction, Abraka, Police Station junction, Abraka; Obiaruku-Obinuba; and Abavo-Agbor axis) by the respondent is not unconstitutional, unlawful, a clear violation and infringement of the fundamental rights to life of the applicants and Nigerians, including rights to dignity of human person, freedom of movement, enjoyment of best physical and mental state of health, economic, social and cultural development and rights to satisfactory environment, as guaranteed by Articles 4, 5, 12, 16(1&2), 22(1&2), and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act. And sections 12, 33(1), 34(1), and 41 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (As ammended).
In his statement, the chairman, Board of Trustee for CRCEI, Ambassador Edewor Egedegbe, noted that the suit was brought before Justice I.M. Sani of the Federal High Court sitting in Warri.
He advised members of the public not to be distraught, stating that “the organisation is poised to seek justice through due process of the law,” expressing confidence that hearing on the suit would commence on 10th June, 2024.
