Nigeria, June 3 -- One of Nigeria's foremost human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has questioned the decisions of some courts who award fines and punishments to litigants in public interest cases.

Mr Falana's statement is coming shortly after a Federal Capital Territory High Court ordered the punishment of a man, Tochi Micheal, over allegations that the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko, falsified his age.

According to Mr Falana, the decisions of courts to punish public interest litigants amounts to "an attack on public interest litigation in the country."

The FCT High Court presided over by a judge, Danlami Senchi, had in a judgement on May 31 dismissed a motion by Mr Micheal, seeking the removal of the acting CJN over alleg...