Court restrains Lagos State Government from vaccinating school children without parents’ consent
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has restrained the Lagos State government and its agents from vaccinating any child in any school in Lagos State without the written consent of the parent or guardian of the child.
The court, presided by Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa issued the restraining order following an application filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Equity International and Initiative to stop the state government from vaccinating school children.
The respondents are the Lagos State Government; the Commissioner for Education, Lagos State; the Permanent Secretary of Basic and Secondary Education.
Others are: Conference of Private Schools Association in Lagos (Copsail), Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Attorney General of Lagos State and The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.
Ruling on the application, the court also ordered that the motion ex-parte dated and filed by the applicant (Incorporated Trustees of Equity International and Initiative), on October 11, 2024. The court also further restrained the 1st to 5th respondents by themselves or through their agents, servants or employees from vaccinating any child in any school in Lagos State without the written consent of the parent or guardian of the child, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
The court also ordered the Respondents whether by themselves, their agents, privies, servants, employees or any other persons taking instructions from them from implementing or carrying out the proposed mass vaccination in Lagos State schools and other places in Lagos State as contained in Circular No.
QEDA/POL/PRS/407/105 dated 23rd September, 2024 issued on behalf of the 1st Respondent by the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, and Circular No. LS/PHCB/SIAs/85/VOLII/010 dated 23rd September, 2024 and issued on behalf of the 1st Respondent by the 5th Respondent or any other circular with the same purpose without the prior written consent of the parent or guardian of the child or the prior written consent of the adult sought to be vaccinated.
The applicant had earlier filed a motion ex-large on the 11th day of October, 2024 praying the Court for an order restraining the 1st to 7th Respondents by themselves or through their agents, servants or employees from vaccinating any child in any school in Lagos State without the written consent of the parent or guardian of the child.
Speaking on behalf of the Applicant, Barrister Mobisola Odimegwu said that court’s order is to halt the proposed mass vaccination that is supposed to start on Saturday (today) pending the determination of notice that has been filed.
She noted: “The court has given the order that there should be a moratorium, a hold on the planned mass vaccination on children and residents of Lagos State because there is no written consent by the parents or guardians, so everything is on hold, the status quo must be maintained by all the parties till December 9, 2024.”
Odimegwu, however, urged Nigerians to look out for other options for preventive measures for their health as well as being informed about whatever it is that will go into their body.
“You need to be sure of what the contents are. The truth is that there is documentation, there is a lot of scientific research showing vaccine damage.
“Nigeria has to improve on its record keeping, what we are saying is that public health is important, our health is important and measures must be taken to protect public health, but those measures should not jeopardise the health that the measures are seeking to protect and Nigerians must investigate these things thoroughly and also make this information available to the public, so that they will know what it is that they are taking, and what could happen to you when you take it.”
