A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, ordered the federal government to fix the prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene and other goods within seven days from February 7, 2024.
Trial judge, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, specifically ordered the government to fix the prices of milk, flour, salt, sugar, bicycles and it’s spare parts, matches, motorcycles and its spare parts, motor vehicles and it’s spare parts as well as petroleum products, including diesel, premium motor spirit, PMS, and kerosene.
The court made the order in its judgment in a suit by rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, against the Price Control Board and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF.
We’ll study judgement, act in masses’ interest —FG
Reacting to the judgement yesterday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, said Federal Government would get a copy of the court judgement, study it, to take necessary actions that would be in the interest of the masses and the nation.
The AGF, who reacted through his Special Adviser, Communication & Publicity, Mr.
Kamarudeen Ogundele, said: “As soon as we have a copy of the judgement, we will study it. On the long run, we will take a decision that is in the best interest of the country. Rest assured that this government will always have the interest of the masses at heart.”
Falana had in suit, asked the court to determine “Whether by Section 4 of the Price Control Act., the first defendant is carrying out its duty to impose a price on any goods that are of the kind specified in the First Schedule to the Price Control Act.”
He had asked the court to declare that by virtue of Section 4 of the Price Control Act Cap, the defendants are under a legal obligation to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts, flour, matches, milk, motorcycles and spare parts, motor vehicles and spare parts, salt, sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit and kerosene.
He also prayed the court to declare that the failure or refusal of the defendants to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts, flour, matches, milk, motorcycles and spare parts, motor vehicles and spare parts, salt, sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit and kerosene is illegal as it offends the provision of Section 4 of the Price Control Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
He had also sought for an order directing the defendants to fix the prices of bicycles and spare parts, flour, matches, milk, motorcycles and spare parts, motor vehicles and spare parts, salt, sugar and petroleum products including diesel, petrol motor spirit, and kerosene, not later than 7 days after the delivery of the judgment of this court.”
At the hearing of the suit, yesterday, the plaintiff, Falana, informed the court that the motion on notice is premised on Section 4 (1) of the Price Control Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
He also told the court that the defendants in the suit have been served with the process since it was filed in May 2023, but they refused and failed to file any response or counter to it.
He consequently urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought since there was no counter from the respondents.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa, after hearing from the lawyer and perusing through the court file, observed that the defendants did not file any counter to the suit after citing some plethoras of authorities, held “All the reliefs contained in the motion paper are hereby granted as prayed.”
