By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A former presidential aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 presidential election, Mr Adamu Garba, has withdrawn the suit he filed against the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Twitter International Company, Jack Dorsey.
He has also apologised to Nigerians for his actions during the period of #EndSARS protest.
Recall that in October 2020, peaceful protest against police brutality rocked many parts of Nigeria with protesters calling for the scrapping of the dreaded Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the police(SARS).
The protest eventually turned bloody after the military opened fire on the peaceful protesters, at Lekki toll gate, the epicentre of the rally.
Following the attack on the protesters, many properties and police stations were vandalized and burnt.
Consequently, Mr Garba, through his lawyer, Abbas Ajiya, sued Twitter and its founder before the Federal High Court, Abuja, over his role in the #EndSARS protests. He accused Mr Dorsey of actively supporting the funding of the #EndSARS protests across the nation.
The motion on notice was brought pursuant to Order II Rules 1, 2, 3 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009 and Sections 34(1), 35(1) and 41(1), and 43 of the 1999 Constitution.
Others joined in the suit include the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Communications Commission.
In the suit, Garba sought an order that Twitter founders should pay him $1 billion as damages. He also wanted the court to stop Twitter from operating in Nigeria. His legal action later generated furore on social media.
The matter, which came up on November 25, 2020, before Justice Giwa-Ogunbanjo, was adjourned until April 22, 2021, for the continuation of the hearing.
But on Sunday January 10, Mr Adamu Garba took to Twitter to announce that he is withdrawing the case.
“I think the action has served its purpose. I’ve written to our lawyers to withdraw the case from court
“I also tendered my sincere apologies to Nigerians who are pained by my #EndSARS actions.
He said in the video attached to the tweet that his effort was to ensure that international communities do not play politics with Nigerian lives in the name of #EndSARS.
However, notwithstanding the withdrawal of the suit, he is still being criticised by Nigerians who did not find sense in his earlier actions.
Following the protests, the Nigerian government asked state governments to set up panels of inquiry to look at cases of police brutality and related matters in their states. Currently over 20 states have inaugurated the panels and cases are currently being heard by the panels.