The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered Nigeria’s House of Representatives to halt passing the controversial Infections Diseases Bill after it scaled second reading.
Dino Melaye, former Kogi-West senator, had last week filed a suit against the National Assembly, saying the new bill threatened his right to life as a Nigerian.
In a motion ex parte dated May 13, 2020, the court said, “An order of this honourable court is hereby made mandating the respondents to appear before this court on May 20, 2020, to show cause why the application of this applicant should not be granted. 
“Should the respondents fail to attend court on the date stated for the hearing on this matter, the reliefs sought ex parte shall be granted.”
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, also summoned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who is the sponsor of the bill, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, as well as the Clerk of the National Assembly over the bill.
