N100m suit: Abuja officials visit Falana, apologise for open manholes

Officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority in Abuja
on Friday paid a courtesy visit to human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi
Falana (SAN).

The FCDA officials, led by General Counsel/ Secretary, Legal
Services at the secretariat, Mohammed Umar, also appealed to Falana
to drop the N100m suit he filed against the FCDA at an FCT High
Court about four weeks ago.

The suit followed an incident in October, at the Maitama
district, Abuja where the lawyer fell into an open manhole and
broke his leg after which he had to walk with the aid of a walking
stick for weeks.

According to the suit marked CV/0248/17, Falana is also asking
for a refund of his medical expenses during his stay at the
National Hospital. which cost over N200, 000.

While sympathising with the human rights lawyer, the FCDA
officials appealed to him to drop the suit.

The officials explained that the manholes used to be covered but
the covers were stolen by criminal elements.

Falana, however, blamed the FCDA authorities for not arresting
anybody and also failing to put in place a mechanism that would
ensure that innocent people did not sustain injuries due to the
open manholes.

He told the officials that he would withdraw the suit if they
covered all the exposed manholes in the FCT to avoid similar
accidents, which they promised to do.

The senior advocate thanked the FCT minister for the visit,
which he described as a demonstration of responsive and responsible
governance.

Officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority in Abuja
on Friday paid a courtesy visit to human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi
Falana (SAN).

The FCDA officials, led by General Counsel/ Secretary, Legal
Services at the secretariat, Mohammed Umar, also appealed to Falana
to drop the N100m suit he filed against the FCDA at an FCT High
Court about four weeks ago.

The suit followed an incident in October, at the Maitama
district, Abuja where the lawyer fell into an open manhole and
broke his leg after which he had to walk with the aid of a walking
stick for weeks.

According to the suit marked CV/0248/17, Falana is also asking
for a refund of his medical expenses during his stay at the
National Hospital. which cost over N200, 000.

While sympathising with the human rights lawyer, the FCDA
officials appealed to him to drop the suit.

The officials explained that the manholes used to be covered but
the covers were stolen by criminal elements.

Falana, however, blamed the FCDA authorities for not arresting
anybody and also failing to put in place a mechanism that would
ensure that innocent people did not sustain injuries due to the
open manholes.

He told the officials that he would withdraw the suit if they
covered all the exposed manholes in the FCT to avoid similar
accidents, which they promised to do.

The senior advocate thanked the FCT minister for the visit,
which he described as a demonstration of responsive and responsible
governance.