Lawyer Sues FG, CBN, AGF Over Arabic Inscription On Naira, Army Logo

A Nigerian lawyer and Human Rights activist Barr. Malcolm Omirhobo has Thursday sued the Federal Government, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Army, Ministry of Defense and Attorney General of the Federation over the continuous Arabic inscription on the naira notes and the flag of the Nigerian Army without considering Nigeria to be a secular nation.

He is seeking a Federal High Court to interpret the provisions of Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He filed two suits.

The defendants in the suits are Central Bank of Nigeria, Attorney-General of the Federation, the Nigerian Army, as well as the Ministry of Defence.

Plaintiff is seeking a court interpretation whether by a community reading of Sections 10 and 55 of the 1999 Constitution, it is lawful and constitutional for the defendants to permit the Naira notes to be adorned with Arabic inscriptions.

In the same vein, the plaintiff is asking whether by a community reading of Sections 1(1)(3), 10 and 55 of the 1999 Constitution, it is proper for the defendants to permit the Nigerian Army logo to be adorned, or inscribed in Arabic insignia.

He is seeking a court interpretation whether by the true letter and spirit of Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution, Nigeria is a secular state without any official religion.

He wants the court to declare that it is  illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional to allow the Nigerian Army logo to be adorned, and inscribed in Arabic language, instead of the official English language or Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo which are the three main languages or ethnic groups in Nigeria.

The defendants are yet to reply. The Court also is yet to fix a date for the hearing of the case.