Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja has refused to compel the famous Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja to admit an admission-seeking applicant, Master Aondo Terdoo Caleb as a student of the College.
Rather, the Judge invoked Order 26 Rule 8 of the Court to direct the authorities of the College and the Federal Ministry of Education to appear before him on August 16 for their defence in a suit against them.
Master Aondo Terdoo Caleb dragged the Loyola Jesuit College and the Federal Ministry of Education before the court seeking an order to compel the College to admit him as a student.
His mother, Mrs Ogooluwa Terkaa Aondo instituted the case on behalf of her son against the College and the Education Ministry for the enforcement of the right of her son to education and admission to the prestigious Loyola Jesuit College in Abuja.
Joined as co-defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1114/2024 are the Principal of the College, Father Chikere Ugwuanyi and the President, Rev Father Peter Chidolue.
In an ex-parte application, he brought before the court, the admission-seeking applicant applied to the court for an order of interim injunction to compel Loyola Jesuit College and its authorities to recognize him as their student.
He also asked the Court to direct the College to grant him every right, privilege, entitlement and facility accorded to its students in Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS 1) to resume on August 20, 2024, without any limitation or restriction pending the hearing and determination of his motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The applicant also prayed the court to restrain the Principal and President of the College from denying him the right to education and giving out his rights of studentship to any other person pending the hearing and determination of his motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
However, after taking the submissions of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Matthew Burkaa in the ex-parte application, Justice Peter Lifu refused to compel the College to admit the applicant.
Instead, the Judge invoked Order 26 Rule 8 of the Court to direct the defendants to appear before him on August 16 for their defense in the suit especially to show cause why the request of the applicant should not be granted.
The Judge ordered that the processes in the suit be served on the defendants personally before the August 16 adjourned date to enable them to prepare effectively for their defence.