The federal high court sitting in Abuja Monday fixed hearing on the suit filed by Senator Dino Melaye challenging the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020.
Sponsored by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and other lawmakers; Pascal Obi and Tanko Sununu., the bill seeks to empower the federal government to convert any property in the country, including private properties, to isolation centres.
The bill equally 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 other things.
Meanwhile, while fixing a definite date, a federal high court judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu adjourned the matter until June 15 and advised parties not to take any action that will jeopardise the action since it was already in court.
When the matter came up Monday, counsel to Melaye, Mr Nkem Okoro told the court that the matter was for hearing, although, some respondents had served
” On Friday, the 4th respondent equally served on us a notice of preliminary objection and a counter affidavit and the 3rd respondent on Thursday, via WhatsApp, also sent us his notice of preliminary objection.
“In view of this development, I will be applying for a short adjournment to enable us respond to all these processes served on us,” Okoro said.
