A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, May 18, 2025, dismissed a N50 billion suit on fundamental rights enforcement filed by former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Mr Philip Shaibu against former Governor Godwin Obaseki and others.
The Court presided over by Justice Peter Lifu struck out the case after the counsel to Shaibu, Anita Oteh, applied to withdraw the suit, citing an amicable resolution between the parties involved.
At the resumed hearing, Oteh told the court that the issues had been resolved, thereby prompting the withdrawal request.
However, counsel for the Attorney-General of the Federation, being the fourth defendant, Aliyu Abdulkadir, said that he was not aware of any settlement, stressing that if such an agreement existed, the court should be properly informed.
Abdulkadir said; “We are not opposed to the application for the withdrawal and will also not be asking for a cost, but I will make a simple request. The court should dismiss the case”.
However, Oteh opposed Abdulkadir’s request and urged the court to approve the plaintiff to withdraw the suit instead.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Lifu held that since the parties had already engaged in the matter, the appropriate course of action was to dismiss the suit.
Justice Lifu therefore declared; “In view of the fact that issues have been joined in this matter, this suit is hereby dismissed in its entirety”.
In the writ of summons, Philip Shaibu named the Governor of Edo State, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and the Attorney-General of Edo State as the 1st to 5th defendants.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/914/2024 and dated July 4, 2024, but filed on July 19, 2024, was filed by his lawyer, Egwuaba Reuben, seeking various reliefs.
The former deputy governor of Edo State urged the court to award him N50 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages to be paid jointly by the defendants for the alleged illegal and unconstitutional breach of his fundamental rights.
Shaibu also sought for a perpetual injunction to prevent the defendants, their privies or agents from arresting or detaining him or committing further acts that violate his rights, unless authorized by the court and demanded an additional N100 million as compensation for the cost of filing the suit.
Shaibu in a sworn affidavit, said he was elected as the deputy governor of Edo State with a tenure set to end on November 11, 2024, adding that at the instigation of Governor Obaseki and with the cooperation of the IGP, he was unlawfully removed from office before completing his term—a matter that remains before the court.
He also said that following his alleged removal, the IGP withdrew all his security personnel who were meant to protect him until the end of his tenure.
Shaibu also referenced a July 2, 2024 publication in which the Edo State government ordered the retrieval of 22 official vehicles in his possession, among other items and therefore asked the court to declare Obaseki’s alleged attempts to get him arrested through the other defendants as unlawful and a violation of his constitutional rights under the 1999 Constitution.
