Lawyer Sues Federal Govt Over ‘Oppressive’ Military Checkpoints in South-east

Chinedu Agbodike, a Nigerian lawyer, has taken the federal government to court over the alleged 'oppressive and excessive' military checkpoints in the South-east. According to court documents, Mr Agbodike filed the lawsuit at the Enugu State High Court on June 17, citing the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, and relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights Act.

The suit, which was brought on behalf of Mr Agbodike and the five states in the South-east, is against the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, and the Federal Government of Nigeria. Mr Agbodike is seeking a declaration that the establishment of checkpoints and roadblocks in the South-east is unconstitutional and unlawful. He also wants the court to order the dismantling of all checkpoints and roadblocks in the region.

The military checkpoints, which were initially deployed to curb attacks by separatist groups in the region, have been accused of harassment, extortion, and intimidation of road users. Mr Agbodike claims that the checkpoints have resulted in the harassment, extortion, arbitrary arrest, unlawful detention, torture, degrading treatment, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings of residents in the region.

The lawyer is also seeking N500 billion in damages against the respondents.

Mr Agbodike has been a vocal critic of the military's activities in the South-east. In an interview with the media earlier this year, he described the military's actions as 'unconstitutional and oppressive'.

The Nigerian government has not commented on the lawsuit.

The South-east region, which has been plagued by separatist movements, has seen an increase in military presence in recent years. The region has also experienced a rise in human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.

The lawsuit has sparked a renewed debate on the role of the military in the South-east. Human rights groups have welcomed the move, saying it is a step in the right direction towards addressing the human rights abuses in the region.

The Enugu State High Court has yet to fix a date for the hearing of the suit.

The military checkpoints have been a major source of frustration for residents in the South-east. Mr Agbodike has said that the checkpoints have caused hardship for road users, with some being forced to trek for miles past the checkpoints.

The case is expected to be a test of the Nigerian government's commitment to upholding human rights in the region.