Human Rights Activist and Senior Advocate Of Nigeria, Femi Falana has dragged the Nigerian Army, it’s Chief of Army Staff and the Attorney-General of the Federation before the Federal High Court in Lagos over the planned Operation Positive Identification by the military.
Falana, In the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1939/2019, said the planned nationwide operation scheduled for November 1, to December 23, 2019, by which Nigerian citizens would be required to move about with means of identification is unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
The Lawyer argued that the planned operation violates his right and that of other Nigerian citizens to liberty, as encapsulated in Section 35 respectively of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as Amended and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, (Cap A10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The human rights lawyer also filed an order seeking an interim injunction restraining the three defendants from going on with the plan pending the hearing of the substantive suit.
In a supporting affidavit filed along with the suit, Falana recalled that on October 8, 2019, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai disclosed that the Operation Positive Identification, said to be ongoing in the North East theatre of Boko Haram insurgency would be extended to cover the entire nation.
He said the operation required Nigerian citizens to move about with legitimate means of identification such as the National Identification Card, Voters Registration Card, Drivers’ Licence and passports or other valid official identification.
