ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of a defamation suit filed by vulnerable residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including scavengers, beggars, and petty traders, against the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, until Monday, May 5, 2025.
The aggrieved residents, represented by human rights lawyer Abba Hikima, filed the suit demanding N500 million in damages for an alleged breach of their fundamental rights.
The case stems from an incident involving the arbitrary arrest, detention, and alleged mistreatment of vulnerable FCT residents by a joint task force of security operatives in Abuja in November 2024.
At the hearing on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, the plaintiff’s counsel, Usman Chamo, informed the court that he had only received a counter affidavit from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) late the previous day, prompting him to request more time to file a response.
The defense did not oppose this request, and the court adjourned the matter to May 5 for further hearing.
In the application filed, the NSCDC, in its counter affidavit, denied the allegations made by the plaintiffs, asserting that the agency had not violated their fundamental rights in any way.
The lawsuit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1749/3024, was filed by lawyer Abba Hikima in public interest, aiming to protect the rights of vulnerable citizens in Nigeria.
Hikima named Wike, the Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the NSCDC, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as the respondents in the case.
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration from the court that the arbitrary arrest, harassment, and detention of homeless persons, scavengers, beggars, and petty traders constitute a violation of their fundamental rights, as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 41, and 42 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.
The plaintiffs also seek N500 million in damages, a public apology from the respondents, and an order mandating the respondents to implement immediate policies and reforms aimed at ensuring the protection of the rights of vulnerable Nigerians.
The suit follows an incident on November 12, 2024, when a joint task force, including military and police personnel, arrested several individuals in the FCT, including beggars, petty traders, and homeless persons, along the Ahmadu Bello Way.
The arrests, according to the plaintiffs, were accompanied by verbal harassment and physical threats, creating fear and intimidation among the public.
Hikima, who witnessed the arrests, claimed that the task force was acting under a directive given by Minister Wike on October 22, 2024, in what he described as a crackdown on homelessness and petty trading in the city.
However, he argued that homelessness and petty trading are not crimes, and that the harsh conditions faced by these individuals are a result of the government’s failure to address the needs of vulnerable Nigerians.
