The Federal Government, the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, and the four major telecommunication companies in Nigeria, have been dragged before a Federal High Court in Gombe, over alleged gross infringement of human rights.
This follows the shut down of network services in the three States that are currently under Emergency rule imposed by President Goodluck Jonathan on May 14.
They are Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, all in North east zone of the country.
The suit filed by one Mr. Attahiru Ibrahim and Comrade Shehu Sani through their counsel, Mr. Luka Haruna, submitted that the emergency rule in affected states has deprived citizens of those areas their freedom to movement and communication.
He argued that the rules supporting such application states that it must be treated expeditiously, as the infringement of rights being complained will continue if time is not considered.
None of the respondents was however represented during hearing on the matter.
Reacting to their absence, Mr. Haruna said he ensured that the respondents were served with the motion of notice on time. He stressed that proper service of notice were made to the first, second and third respondents on the 6th of June 2013 in Abuja, while the fourth, fifth, and sixth respondents were served with the notice on the 7th of June 2013 in Lagos.
He noted that the motion was endorsed by the court, which fixed Monday the 10th of June for the hearing.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Babatunde Quadir, who suspended the service of the motion filed by the applicants, due to the non appearance of respondents, asked the counsel to the applicants to present another motion of notice to the respondents.
The date intended by the court for the next hearing has not been announced.
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