The Federal High Court of Nigeria has said that monetary claims and default fees in respect of Fundamental Human Right applications should no longer be charged.
According to a circular signed by the Assistant Chief Registrar (Litigation), Jane Egbo (Esq), she said that the Hon. Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice J. T. Tsoho gave the directive on Friday 12th February, 2021.
The Chief Judge directed all DCRs and Station Registrars to comply accordingly.
It was learnt that before now, applicants in fundamental rights enforcement cases were charged filing fees, among other fees, as applicable in civil cases.
They were also required to pay penalty, where they defaulted in filing processes within the time allowed by the court’s rules.
Fundamental Rights is a right guaranteed in the Nigerian Constitution and can be found entrenched in a particular chapter there in i.e. chapter IV. It follows therefore that for an applicant to successfully institute an action under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, the claim must fall within sections 33-44 of the 1999 constitution being the sections under chapter IV of the said 1999 Constitution.
