The Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos state
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has issued an order directing the federal government to set the prices of goods and petroleum products within seven days.
This directive was granted following a motion presented and argued by Femi Falana SAN, a prominent human rights activist.
The esteemed lawyer sought the court’s intervention for the following reasons:
The applicant sought the court’s intervention regarding whether the first defendant, as per Section 4 of the Price Control Act, is fulfilling its duty to establish prices for goods outlined in the First Schedule to the Act.
Additionally, they requested a declaration stating that the defendants are legally obligated, under Section 4 of the Price Control Act Cap, to set prices for various commodities, including bicycles and spare parts, flour, matches, milk, motorcycles and spare parts, motor vehicles and spare parts, salt, sugar, and petroleum products such as diesel, petrol motor spirit, and kerosene.
Furthermore, they sought a declaration that the failure or refusal of the defendants to fix these prices contravenes the provisions of Section 4 of the Price Control Act, Cap…, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Finally, they requested an order instructing the defendants to establish the prices of the aforementioned commodities within seven days following the delivery of the court’s judgment.
In delivering judgment
I have reviewed the case brought by the applicant, Femi Falana, in suit no. San, FHC/L/CS/869/2023. It has come to my attention that despite serving the Originating Motion on the respondents, namely the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Price Control Board, no opposition has been presented in the form of a counter affidavit.
According to the law, this means that all the facts stated in the affidavit attached to the Originating Motion are deemed admitted.
Therefore, the judge has directed the Nigerian government to set the prices of various commodities, including milk, flour, salt, sugar, bicycles and their spare parts, matches, motorcycles and their spare parts, motor vehicles and their spare parts, as well as petroleum products such as diesel, petrol motor spirit (PMS), and kerosene.
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