A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay N10 million in damages for the unlawful arrest and detention of peaceful #EndSARS memorial protesters in 2024.
Justice Musa Kakaki delivered the ruling on Thursday, declaring that the police violated the fundamental human rights of demonstrators who gathered at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2024, to mark the fourth anniversary of the nationwide #EndSARS protests.
At least 20 individuals were arrested by officers of the Lagos State Police Command during the memorial rally and held in a police van for several hours before being released without any charges.
The case was filed as a fundamental rights enforcement suit by 22 protesters alongside three civil rights groups, Education Rights Campaign, Take It Back Movement, and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights. The applicants sought redress for what they described as unlawful arrest and a breach of their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Among the named applicants were Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, Ilesanmi Kehinde, Osopale Adeseye, Olamilekan Sanusi, and several others. The suit was brought against the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, the Governor of Lagos State, and the Attorney-General of Lagos State.
Justice Kakaki’s decision is being hailed by rights advocates as a critical affirmation of the right to peaceful protest in Nigeria. The judgment underscores the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to respect civil liberties, even in politically sensitive situations.
