Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi has fixed January 20, 2026 for hearing in a suit filed against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) seeking an order to protect the rights of rape and incest victims.
The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC) and two others are the main plaintiff in the suit filed on behalf of the survivors.
Justice Allagoa fixed the date for hearing of the suit following absence of counsels for the defence.
WARDC filed the suit marked FHC/LAG/975/2025 through their Counsel, Prof. Yemi Oke, (SAN), Dr. Yinka Owoeye, Emmanuella Azu, Deji Folorunsho, and Oluwatobi Adeniregun.
Other respondents in the suit are; Minister of Health, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP.
While A. Saliu-Aina held watching brief for an interested party seeking to intervene.
The applicants are seeking the following reliefs from the court; A declaration that the right of victims of rape and incest to safe termination of pregnancy should be respected as provided by law.
They also prayed the court for a declaration by the court for the government to provide comprehensive medical assistance to victims of sexual violence including rape and incest.
Also, the applicants asked for a declaration for comprehensive medical assistance, information and services on medical abortion for every victim of violence as defined under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition, (VAPP) Act.
The applicants in addition prayed the court to make an order for the provision of comprehensive psychological and social assistance to every victim of sexual violence including victims of rape and incest and such further or other orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.
Earlier when the matter was called, the first Applicant, WARDC, represented by Prof. Oke told the court that the matter was of a unique importance and national significance.
Prof. Oke expressed dissatisfaction for the absence of all the respondents.
He told the court that the respondents should have been patriotic enough to come before the court.
“This is a matter of unique importance for the lives of humanity. It is a matter every conscious Nigerians or global citizens must have been interested in.
“I’m surprised that the respondents would have been patriotic enough to come before the court, so that we can have it trash out once and for all.
“We only got served late October by the first respondent, that is the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
“Other parties have simply ignored us. Though we would like to respond to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, for obvious reason, they might even be supporting us indirectly because what we are seeking affects their interests.
“But what worries me more is the fact that other respondents have just ignored us. My lord, I’m at a crossroad, this matter is actually ripe for hearing. it is an urgent application.
“However, if the law is minded to give us one more final adjournment, there’s nothing to contest, there’s more things to challenge. The facts are obvious. It’s a very straightforward matter.
“The Minister of Health, the Minister of Women’s Affairs, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, that they are on our side.