HUMAN Rights Lawyer Gloria Ballason has sued Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Attorney General of Kaduna State, Airtel Networks Limited, GlobaCom Limited, Emirates Telecommunication Group Company (formerly known as Etisalat and now 9mobile) and MTN Group  over the shutdown of telecommunication services in Kaduna State.

Ballason told The ICIR that the suit was filed on December 8th, 2021, for herself and on behalf of Nigerian citizens in Kaduna State, whose rights were violated by the shutdown of telephone and internet services in Kaduna State between September 30 and November 26, 2021.

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The lawyer filed the lawsuit at the Federal High Court, Federal Capital Territory Judicial Division, Abuja, alleging that the action taken by the government of Kaduna state was not backed by law.

“The government does not satisfy the constitutional exception of any law reasonably justifiable in a democratic society in the interest of defence, public safety and public order. More lives who could not call for help from security agents perished while businesses and means of livelihood of citizens suffered astronomic loses without a commensurate improvement in the security situation in Kaduna State,” said Ballason.

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Another lawyer and solicitor practicing in Kaduna State Ibrahim Garba Turaki described the network shutdown as political and an unfortunate situation which crippled businesses.