THE Federal High Court, Lagos, has awarded N10 million in damages against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for rights violations committed against EndSARS protesters.
The suit was brought before the court by applicants who participated in the fourth anniversary of the #ENDSARS peaceful memorial procession.
In his judgment on Thursday, July 24, the judge, Musa Kakaki, ruled that the applicants were unjustly harassed and their rights violated.
He said the applicants were unjustly harassed during a peaceful protest on October 20, 2024, and had their rights to freedom of assembly and association violated, as protected by the Nigerian Constitution.
The judge said that while the police had constitutional powers to enforce laws, they must exercise the powers in accordance with democratic principles and the rule of law.
According to the judge, the applicants had a constitutional right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Akin Okunowon and 21 others, including Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, and Funmilayo Jolade Ajayi, among others, filed the suit against the police.
Take It Back Movement (TIB), Campaign for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), and Education Rights Campaign (ERC) were also part of the suit.
The ICIR reported that operatives of the Lagos State Police Command arrested 22 #EndSARS memorial protesters on Sunday, October 20.
The police also dispersed scores of protesters who gathered for the memorial.
The demonstration sought to honour victims of the 2020 protests against police brutality.
However, the atmosphere became tense when police operatives emerged at the scene, firing tear gas canisters. They eventually whisked away 22 of the protesters.
The demonstrators, mainly youth, assembled around 8:30 a.m., holding banners and placards while demanding the full implementation of the reports from the judicial panels of inquiry set up after the 2020 protests.
However, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong confirmed that the 22 protesters were later released.
A reporter with the ICIR
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