A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, presided by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa has ordered the federal government to fix the prices of food stuffs, and petroleum products within seven days from today, February 7.
The judge made the order while delivering judgment in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/869/2023, filed by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), against the Price Control Board and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
Specifically, the court ordered the federal government to fix the price of milk, flour, salt, sugar, bicycles and its spare parts, matches, motorcycles and its spare parts, motor vehicles and its spare parts as well as petroleum products, which include: diesel, petrol motor spirit (PMS) and kerosene. Falana (SAN) had approached the court for “a declaration 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.
“A declaration 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, Cap, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“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 Honourable Court.”
At the hearing of the suit, the plaintiff, (Falana (SAN)) informed the court that the motion on notice was 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 processes since it was filed in May, 2023, but refused and failed to file any response or counter to it.
Falana urged the court to grant all the reliefs sought for since there was no opposition from the respondents.
After hearing from Falana, Justice Lewis-Allagoa perused through the court processes, noting that the defendants did not file any counter to the suit.
He therefore declared that, “all the reliefs contained in the motion paper are hereby granted as prayed.”
