Monthly Sanitation Exercise: Edo State High Court Declares Restriction Of Human, Vehicular Movement Unlawful

The Edo State High Court on Thursday declared unlawful the restriction of human and vehicular movement during the state’s environmental sanitation exercise.

Justice Isoken Urhomwen Erameh in a landmark judgment ruled that the enforcement of a stay-at-home order between seven and ten O’clock in the morning on sanitation days violates citizens’ constitutional rights.

In its decision, the court held that such restrictions are inconsistent with Section forty-one sub section one of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which guarantees freedom of movement.

The Court found the measures to be in breach of Articles twelve and thirteen of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Justice Erameh consequently issued a declaration that the prohibition of movement during the sanitation period is unlawful and unconstitutional.

The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the Edo State Government, its agents, officers and privies from restricting or interfering with the movement of persons or vehicles within the state on account of any environmental sanitation exercise or related regulation.

In addition, the court awarded two hundred thousand naira to the applicants as costs for instituting and prosecuting the action.