The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a suit filed against President Bola Tinubu challenging his March 18, 2025, declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho held that the plaintiffs, Belema Briggs and four others, lacked the legal standing to institute the action. The court ruled that the claim of a breach of fundamental rights did not hold, as the president acted within the law to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
Tinubu had suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the State House of Assembly for six months, appointing a sole administrator to manage the state’s affairs. The president lifted the emergency rule on September 18, 2025, after confirming that peace had been restored.
Justice Omotosho noted that the plaintiffs were neither members of the State Executive Council nor the legislature and had not demonstrated any injury beyond what the general public suffered. He added that they failed to obtain the consent of the state’s Attorney General before approaching the court.
Describing the suit as frivolous and baseless, the judge said the plaintiffs did not dispute the government’s assertion that the emergency was imposed to avert unrest.
The court also noted that over 40 cases had been filed against the emergency declaration, including one by the Peoples Democratic Party now before the Supreme Court.
We never expected less