The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, has ordered the Federal Government of Nigeria to pay ₦2 million each to Obianuju Udeh, also known as DJ Switch, Perpetual Kamsi, and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka for violating their rights.
The court found Nigeria in breach of Articles 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. These articles pertain to the right to life, security of person, freedom of expression, assembly and association, prohibition of torture, the duty of the state to investigate, and the right to an effective remedy.
Udeh and the others claimed that their rights were violated during peaceful protests against the SARS unit of the Nigerian Police Force at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on October 20 and 21, 2020.
Justice Koroma Sengu, who delivered the judgment, dismissed the allegation that the right to life under Article 4 of the ACPHR was violated. However, he ruled that the Federal Government must adhere to its obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This includes investigating and prosecuting its agents responsible for the violations and reporting to the court within six months on the measures taken to implement the judgment.
The respondent, the Federal Government, denied all claims made by the applicants, asserting that the protesters unlawfully assembled at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, under the guise of protesting against SARS. Nevertheless, the court held that the government breached several articles of the ACPHR, resulting in significant human rights violations.