A human rights activist, Francis Moneke, has sued the Anambra State Government, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and the state Commissioner of Police, over the blockage of Zik Avenue Road in Awka, the state capital.

He said roadblocks were mounted between Ifenna Filling Station and Amawbia Roundabout on the Zik Avenue Road; and on Amawbia-Nibo Road, by the gate of the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.

Moneke claimed that the roadblocks, which had tarried for months, caused him untold hardships and pains on August 14 and 20, 2021.

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He said, “Section 41(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereby or exit therefrom.”

He added that Article 12(1) of the African Charter on Human & Peoples’ Rights (Ratification & Enforcement) Act, Cap. A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, provided that “every individual shall have the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of a state provided he abides by the law.”

In the suit, filed in the state High Court in Awka, with suit number A/MISC194/2021, the lawyer challenged the blockage, which he claimed was “mounted by/in line with the order from the first respondent, the Anambra State governor, and the second respondent, the state Commissioner of Police.

He prayed the court to order the respondents to “forthwith remove or direct to be removed, the roadblocks and open up all road closures to allow free and unrestricted movement of law-abiding and good people of Anambra State and Nigerians in general.”

Moneke further prayed the court to order the respondents, jointly or severally, to pay him N10m for unlawful restriction of his movement and violation of his fundamental rights to freedom of movement as guaranteed by the constitution.