Dino Melaye: Court fixes June 30 for judgment in anti-Infectious Diseases Bill suit

Dino Melaye

The Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed June 30 to deliver judgment in the suit filed by former Senator Dino Melaye challenging the passage of the Infectious Diseases Bill.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu fixed the date on Monday after taking arguments from parties in the case.

The bill which is sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and two other lawmakers – Pascal Obi and Tanko Sununu- seeks to empower the Federal Government to convert any property in the country, including private property to isolation centres.

The bill also seeks to empower the government to, upon mere suspicion that a person is infected with an infectious disease, arrest and detain the person for as long as necessary, among others.

Melaye had on May 5 claimed that the provisions of the bill violate his fundamental rights, among which are rights to the dignity of person, personal liberty, right to private and family life, right to freedom of movement and right to own immovable property in Nigeria.

While the clerk of the National Assembly is the 1st respondent, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Attorney General of the Federal (AGF) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) are 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th respondents respectively in the suit.