In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Femi Falana criticized the governments of Lagos, Ogun, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration for quickly seeking court orders to restrict protesters to specific locations.
Court orders were obtained by various state governments and the FCTA to limit protesters to designated areas such as the Freedom and Peace Parks in Lagos, and the MKO Stadium in Abuja. In Ogun, protesters were directed to the MKO Stadium in Abeokuta, among other locations.
Falana raised concerns about protesters not being served with the court orders before the demonstrations started, emphasizing that rushing to court on the eve of a protest complicates the situation as the orders are not effectively communicated to the participants.
He suggested that instead of immediate court intervention, governments could designate specific venues for protests, a practice observed in many other countries. With ample time, authorities could have informed protesters of the restrictions without the need for urgent court orders.
Participants in the protests traveled from long distances to attend, only to find the designated venues closed off by the government. Falana highlighted the need for governments to anticipate and manage protests better, rather than resorting to last-minute legal actions.