Infectious Disease Bill: Court Fixes June 15 For Definite Hearing

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed June 15, 2020, for definite hearing of the suit filed by Senator Dino Melaye challenging the passage of the Infectious Diseases Control Bill 2020.

The bill, sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and Representative Pascal Obi and Tanko Sununu, seeks to empower the Federal Government to convert any property in the country, including private properties, 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 other things.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, counsel to Senator Melaye, Mr Okoro Akolam told the court that the matter was for hearing, however, some respondents had served his client notices of preliminary objection and counter-affidavits which he needed to respond to.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu while adjourning the matter advised parties not to take any action since the matter is already before the court.

She, therefore, adjourned till June 15, 2020, for definite hearing of the suit.

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