The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing to May 29 in a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by a group of vulnerable residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) — including scavengers, beggars, and petty traders — against the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and other government officials.
Justice James Omotosho granted the adjournment on Monday after counsel to the applicants, Adamu Mahmood, requested more time to respond to a counter-affidavit filed by the respondents.
The plaintiffs are demanding N500 million in damages, accusing Wike and several security agencies of arbitrary arrests, harassment, and rights violations. The suit, filed by human rights lawyer Abba Hikima on November 20, 2024, seeks redress for what he described as unconstitutional treatment of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
Respondents in the case include the Minister of the FCT (Wike), the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
According to court filings, Hikima said he was motivated to act after witnessing the arrest of dozens of individuals—many of them street hawkers and homeless persons—by a joint task force on November 12, 2024, along Ahmadu Bello Way. He alleged that security operatives, including military and police personnel, forcibly apprehended people based on their appearance and social status, harassing and intimidating them in public view.
In their defense, both the DSS and the NSCDC have denied the allegations, asking the court to dismiss the case. The NSCDC, in a counter affidavit sworn by one Goodness Akomolafe, insisted that no fundamental rights were violated.
Hikima is asking the court to declare that the alleged arrests, detentions without charge, and harassment violate the constitutional rights of the affected individuals, as protected under Sections 34, 35, 41, and 42 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He also seeks an order compelling the government to issue a public apology and implement reforms to protect the rights of vulnerable groups in the FCT.
The case is set to resume on May 29 for full hearing.
