Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Kano State
Government to unseal a rice production factory – Tiamin Rice
Limited – shut by the state for allegedly being too close to an
isolation centre for COVID-19 patients.
The state had also claimed that the fume being emitted from the
rice mill was harmful to the COVID-19 patients.
In a judgment on Monday, Justice Okon Abang, held that the
closure of the factory, without a valid court order, violated the
rights of the applicants and the exemption accorded food production
companies by the government.
The judgment was in a fundamental rights enforcement suit,
marked: FHC/ABJ/448/2020 filed by Tiamin Multi-Services Global Ltd,
Tiamin Rice Limited and Alhaji Aliyu Ali Ibrahim.
Respondents in the suit were the Inspector General of Police
(IGP), Commissioner of Police, Kano State; Government of Kano State
and Nigeria
The applicants, who claimed that their factory was located at
about 26 kilometre away from the COVID-19 isolation centre, argued
that the closure was a violation of their rights to own property
and to go in and out of such a property.
They stated that the rice factory is one of the food production
companies permitted by government to continue production for the
purpose of providing food for the people in the period of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The applicants also claimed that their factory was creating job
opportunities as well as alleviating the people’s hardship induced
by the pandemic.
In the judgement on Monday, Justice Abang noted that the
respondent did not respond to the case even though they were duly
served and afforded sufficient time.
Abang held that the respondents were given ample opportunity to
be heard, but failed to make appearance.
The judge noted that the plaintiff has previously been given an
exemption by the government to produce more food during the
lockdown to Nigerians.
He ordered the Kano State Government to unseal the applicants’
property and held that the sealing of the property, without proper
court order, constitutes a violation of the the applicants’
fundamental human rights.
Justice Abang restrain the Kano State Government from further
interfering with the activities of the applicants.
The judge awarded N300million damages against the respondents
and order the Attorney General of Kano State to ensure that
judgement is promptly complied with.
Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Kano State
Government to unseal a rice production factory – Tiamin Rice
Limited – shut by the state for allegedly being too close to an
isolation centre for COVID-19 patients.
The state had also claimed that the fume being emitted from the
rice mill was harmful to the COVID-19 patients.
In a judgment on Monday, Justice Okon Abang, held that the
closure of the factory, without a valid court order, violated the
rights of the applicants and the exemption accorded food production
companies by the government.
The judgment was in a fundamental rights enforcement suit,
marked: FHC/ABJ/448/2020 filed by Tiamin Multi-Services Global Ltd,
Tiamin Rice Limited and Alhaji Aliyu Ali Ibrahim.
Respondents in the suit were the Inspector General of Police
(IGP), Commissioner of Police, Kano State; Government of Kano State
and Nigeria
The applicants, who claimed that their factory was located at
about 26 kilometre away from the COVID-19 isolation centre, argued
that the closure was a violation of their rights to own property
and to go in and out of such a property.
They stated that the rice factory is one of the food production
companies permitted by government to continue production for the
purpose of providing food for the people in the period of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The applicants also claimed that their factory was creating job
opportunities as well as alleviating the people’s hardship induced
by the pandemic.
In the judgement on Monday, Justice Abang noted that the
respondent did not respond to the case even though they were duly
served and afforded sufficient time.
Abang held that the respondents were given ample opportunity to
be heard, but failed to make appearance.
The judge noted that the plaintiff has previously been given an
exemption by the government to produce more food during the
lockdown to Nigerians.
He ordered the Kano State Government to unseal the applicants’
property and held that the sealing of the property, without proper
court order, constitutes a violation of the the applicants’
fundamental human rights.
Justice Abang restrain the Kano State Government from further
interfering with the activities of the applicants.
The judge awarded N300million damages against the respondents
and order the Attorney General of Kano State to ensure that
judgement is promptly complied with.