NewsRescue
In a suit filled by the Shiites against the Sokoto state government and security agencies, pleaded with the Court to reaffirm their rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Before the suit, Shiites in Sokoto have been violently attacked and intimidated by the state government and security agencies. In his ruling, today 31st January, 2018, Justice Idrissa Kogo of the Federal High Court, Sokoto submitted that his court has jurisdiction to entertain the suit by the applicants (Shiites) and that the applicants have the competence to be heard.
In a landmark judgement, the court also ordered the defendants (government and security agencies) to respect the fundamental rights of the applicants to practice their religion as individuals and in groups. The judgement further reiterated the obligations of the state government and security agencies to guarantee the protection of Shiites fundamental rights, particularly their rights to life, property and freedom of association as well as peaceful processions. Counsels to the parties in the suit were all in attendance with exception of the DSS.
