A human rights lawyer, Lucky Odigie, has dragged a constitutional lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), and nine others before a Federal High Court in Abuja, over the setting up of an independent panel to probe killings which took place during the three weeks #ENDSARS protest in October last year.

The plaintiff, in the suit filed by his lawyer, Oghenovo Otemu, asked the court to restrain the defendants from setting up any parallel independent inquiry to probe any alleged killings of Nigerians, including security operatives and the destruction of property following the deployment of security operatives in the wake of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.

Other defendants in the suit are Ade Atambi, Adewale Adeoye, Chino Obiagwu (SAN), Affiong Affiong, Prof. Adenike Ogushe, Y.Z Yau, Malachy Ugwumadu, Fatima Umar and Olumide Ogele.

A copy of the court processes was obtained by journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

The plaintiff in the originating summons also asked the court to determine whether by virtue of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act Cap 447 LFN 1990 and all other extant federal and state laws, regulations and enactments in Nigeria, the first to third defendants, under the aegis of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond can validly and legally constitute or set up a parallel independent panel of inquiry to probe the #EndSARS killings.

He also asked the court to determine whether by virtue of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act Cap 447 LFN 1990 and all other extant federal and state laws, regulations and enactments in Nigeria, the fourth to 10 defendants could validly and legally act as members of a parallel independent panel of inquiry to probe the killings of Nigerians.

Odigie also prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from conducting any parallel independent inquiry to probe any alleged killings of Nigerians, including security operatives and the destruction of properties following the deployment of security operatives in the wake of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.

He said the panel of the 4th to 10th defendants were targeted at turning up a report or decision that would embarrass and undermine the Federal Government of Nigeria, the different state governments, the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, all the security agencies, as well as the existing panels of inquiries set up by the different state governors.

No date has, however, been fixed for the hearing of the case.