We challenge laws and actions that are against the interest of citizens in court.
Key Court Cases
Ongoing Cases
The respondents’ blockage of Twitter access was declared unlawful, unconstitutional, and against freedom of expression, and an injunction was issued prohibiting further blocking or interference with the platform.
Court: Federal High Court, Lagos
Next Court Date: Adjourned till March 20, 2024
Olumide Babalola, a consumer rights lawyer, filed a class action suit at the Lagos High Court on behalf of subscribers of GSM services who may have received unsolicited calls or messages.
Court: Court of Appeal
Next court date: An application will be sent to the registry to find the misplaced missing case file
EiE, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA) sued to repeal Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act.
Court: Supreme Court
Next court date: Awaiting date for hearing at the Supreme Court.
Asks the court to declare comments made by some political aides in Nigeria as Hate speeches.
Court: High Court of FCT
Note: The case has yet to be assigned a suit number and a judge. Efforts are underway to track its assignment to a Judge as well as a suit number.
Lawsuits on #StellaGate with First Bank
Court: Court of Appeal
Next Court Date: The case was scheduled for a hearing on June 21, 2023. Unfortunately, the court did not sit on that particular day, and no further update has been shared about another hearing date.
Lawsuits on #StellaGate with NCAA
Court: Court of Appeal
Next Court Date: Despite both counsels’ joint efforts, the matter is not yet fixed for a hearing.
EiE, BudgIT, SERAP and over 6,000 active citizens challenged the legality of the Senate’s expenditure of N5.5 billion on new luxury cars.
Court: Federal High Court, Lagos
Note: A case search is underway to determine the date and reason for the striking out of the case, which will form the basis of its future relisting.
Concluded Cases
The suit sought the reversal of some portions (sections 3, 5 and 6) of the newly passed Lagos State Land Use Charge, 2018, for being inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.
Court: Lagos State High Court
Judgement: Judgement was delivered against us. The Court said EiE does not have locus standi as we could not show that they have once paid Land Use Charge in the past.
Co-Applicant on Suit to Compel Saraki, Dogara to Account for N500 billion
Court: Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Note: EiE has withdrawn from the suit.
Suit to compel 53 lawmakers who switched parties to vacate their seats as it forces an interpretation of the Constitution.
Court: Federal High Court, Abuja
Judgement: Struck out because the complainants were not in the constituency.
Court:
Note: The case was adjourned, and the judge waited for over three months before sitting, leading to its dismissal.
Suit to compel EFCC, ICPC and the Nigerian Police to probe and investigate Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje on the alleged
bribery videos.
Court: Federal High Court, Abuja
Note: Struck out because we didn’t have locus.
EiE sued INEC for violating the Freedom of Information Act (2011) by failing to release the breakdown of 2019 card reader accreditation data.
Court: Federal High Court, Lagos
Note: Struck out in 2022 by Justice Aneke of the Federal High Court
EiE and Tunde Onifade filed a petition against Lekki Concession Company because of the panel’s approval for the reopening of Lekki tollgate while the petition with the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality has not being heard.
Court: Federal High Court, Lagos
Note: Struck out because it has been overtaken by events.
A suit to restrain the National Assembly from further deliberation and consideration about the NGO Regulatory Commission Bill.
Court: Court of Appeal
Note: Judgement delivered on February 4, 2019, but not in our favour.
Following the ‘scandal’ regarding extra-budgetary purchases of cars from Cosharis via First Bank by the former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, EiE wrote FoI requests to the 3 stakeholders and none responded.
EiE sued them.
Court: Court of Appeal
Note: The judgment was delivered on February 23, 2022.
Judgement: The three judges set aside the ruling of the lower Court and ruled in favour of the Appellant
Court: Federal High Court of Lagos State, Ikoyi
Judgement: In June 2021, the court ruled in our favor and ordered the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to adjust the salaries and allowances of 469 National Assembly members.
Banks/Stamp duties class action
Court:
Note: The matter was struck out because of a pending appeal at the Supreme Court on the same subject matter.
An active citizen, Bisi Ariyo, filed a class action suit on behalf of unmetered customers of Eko and Ikeja DISCOs who have high estimated billing. EiE helped curate the list of complainants.
Court: Lagos State High Court (TBS)
Note: Struck out in 2022 by Justice Safari of Lagos State High Court.
EiE, BudgIT, SERAP and active citizens challenge the legality of the Senate to spend N5.5bn on new luxury cars.
Court:
Judge: Justice Aikawa
Next Court Date: No new date yet.
EiE, BudgIT, SERAP and over 1,500 active citizens challenge the legality of N4.68 Billion ‘Welcome Package for NASS members.
Court:
Judge: Justice Obiozor
Next Court Date: March 9, 2021
EiE filed a lawsuit against INEC for violating the Freedom of Information Act and failure to release the breakdown of 2019 card reader accreditation data.
Court:
Judge:
Next Court Date: No new date yet
EiE filed a lawsuit against INEC for violating the Freedom of Information Act and failure to release the breakdown of 2019 presidential election results by polling units (PU).
Court:
Judge:
Next Court Date: No new date yet
NGO Regulatory Commission Bill
EiE, Paradigm Initiative, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON) and Laws & Rights Awareness Initiative filed a lawsuit restraining the National Assembly from further deliberation and consideration that will lead to the passage of the NGO Regulatory Commission Bill.
Judgement delivered but not in our favour. The judgement has been appealed and the notice of appeal has been filed.
Court: Court of Appeal
Next Court Date: No new date yet
Lawsuit Challenging Section 24 of the CyberCrime Act
EiE, PI and MRA have been in court since 2016 to repeal Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act. The suit was struck out by the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, but we have appealed at the Supreme Court and filed a brief of argument.
Court: Supreme Court
Next court date: No new date yet
Class Action: Unsolicited SMS & Phone Calls
Wednesday, September 14, 2016: Lagos-based consumer rights lawyer, Olumide Babalola, filed a class action suit at the Lagos High Court for himself and on behalf of all the subscribers of the GSM operators who might have received unsolicited calls and messages from any telecommunications company in Nigeria. EiE helped curate the list of complainants.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017: The suit was struck out as the Judge ruled that unsolicited calls do not violate the fundamental right to privacy under the Constitution.
We appealed this decision and filed our reply brief.
Court: Court of Appeal
Next court date: No new date yet
Class Action on Electricity Estimated Billing
An active citizen, Bisi Ariyo filed a class action suit at the Lagos High Court on behalf of unmetered customers of Eko and Ikeja Discos having high estimated billing. EiE helped curate the list of complaints.
Court:
Judge:
Next court date: No new date yet
Lawsuit with EFCC, ICPC & Nigeria Police Force on #GandujeGate
EiE filed a lawsuit against EFCC, ICPC and Nigerian Police compelling them to probe and investigate Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje on the alleged bribery videos.
Court: Federal High Court, Abuja
Judge: Justice Ekwo
Next court date: No new date yet
Federal Lawmakers Defection Lawsuit
EiE filed a lawsuit against 53 lawmakers who defected that they are supposed to vacate their seats. The case has been adjourned till February 12, 2021.
Court: Federal High Court, Abuja
Judge: Justice Ekwo
Next court date: February 12, 2021
Justice Januaria T.S Moreira Costa of the Community Court of ECOWAS held that Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act violated Nigerians’ right to freedom of expression.
EiE, Paradigm Initiative (PI) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA) have been in court since 2016 to repeal the Act.
The suit is pending the hearing of our appeal.
The suit is at the Court of Appeal for hearing.
There is no date yet for the hearing.
Judgement was delivered by Justice B. Kanyip of the National Industrial Court but not in our favour. We will appeal the judgement.
The adjourned date for hearing was April 21 but the court could not sit because of lockdown. No date fixed yet for the next court date.
The adjourned date for hearing was March 19 but the court could not sit because of lockdown. No date fixed yet for the next court date.