A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos presided over by justice Yelin Bogoro today dismissed a suit challenging the Arabic Inscription on the naira notes.
The suit which was filed by a human right activist, Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo challenged the Arabic Inscription on the Nigeria notes .
Delivering judgement in the suit today His Justice Bogoro while relying on the case of Chief Gani Fawehimi V . Akilu (1998) 2NWLR (Part 102 ), 122 at 169 held that the Chief Omirhobo has the locus standing to institute the action.
The trial judge however, dismissed the suit on the ground that the plaintiff failed to prove that the 1st Defendant, that is, the Central Bank of Nigeria design, issue, print and distributes the naira notes with the Arabic inscription in bad faith.
The court agreed with Omirhobo that Nigeria is a secular state and that no religion is superior to the other .
” Nigeria is a multi ethnic and religious country and no ethnic group or religion is superior to the other” the court held.
Justice Bogoro further held that Arabic language is not Nigeria’s official language and advised that for Nigerians to co-exist in harmony, it is high time for the Central Bank of Nigeria and Federal Government to remove the Arabic inscription on the N200, N500and N1000 naira notes since it has been removed from the N5, N10 ,N50 and N100 .