Justice Ifeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court Abuja has ordered the House of Representatives to maintain status quo on the controversial infectious disease bill which has passed second reading.
Justice Ojukwu gave the order, following an application by former Kogi-West Senator, Dino Melaye.
The court also summoned the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, as well as the clerk of the National Assembly over the bill.
Mr. Melaye had last week filed a suit against the National Assembly over the consideration of the infectious diseases bill sponsored by the Speaker himself.
Melaye had asked the court to stop the passage of the bill, alleging breach of his right to freedom and life. He
The court ordered the respondents to appear before it on May 20, 2020, or to show cause why the application of this applicant should not be granted.
“Should the respondents fail to attend court on the date stated for the hearing on this matter, the reliefs sought ex parte shall be granted.”
The infectious diseases bill has drawn a lot of opposition and criticism.
The bill seeks to, among other things, make possession of health card, similar to the yellow fever, mandatory for international travellers leaving or arriving in Nigeria.
Copied from a similar law in Singapore, some Nigerians says it is draconian and unfit for a democratic county like Nigeria.
The bill empowers the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the health minister to convert any property to isolation centre.
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