All court cases linked to the emergency rule declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu have been moved from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt to the Abuja Division.
The decision was made by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
The transfer was carried out based on Order 49, Rule 2 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019.
A letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, had earlier requested the relocation, referring to the court’s guidelines.
The cases moved include several suits filed by individuals and groups challenging different aspects of the emergency rule.
Among them are legal actions by Dr. Farah Dagogo, Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, and various non-governmental organizations.
These suits had already started moving forward in Port Harcourt before the transfer decision was made, with hearings beginning in some.
The move follows President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18.
Alongside the announcement, the President suspended the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly.
The decision came in response to a long-standing political crisis in the state, which had raised fears of unrest.
With the transfer, all related legal proceedings will now continue in Abuja instead of Port Harcourt.
