A Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded ₦10 million in damages against the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police for violating the fundamental rights of #EndSARS protesters during a memorial rally held on October 20, 2024.
Justice Musa Kakaki ruled that the protesters were unjustly harassed and that their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and association were violated. While the police are empowered to maintain public order, the judge emphasized that such powers must be exercised within the bounds of democracy and the rule of law.
The applicants—Hassan Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, Ilesanmi Kehinde, Osopale Adeseye, Olamilekan Sanusi, Miss Osugba Blessing, and others—were supported by advocacy groups including the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Take It Back Movement (TIBM), and the Campaign for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).
According to the suit, police fired live ammunition and tear gas, brutally beat protesters, and carried out arbitrary arrests. Some detainees were reportedly held in a mobile cell (Black Maria) for hours before being moved to Panti Police Station, where they were kept for an additional four hours without charges.
Justice Kakaki’s decision reinforces citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful protest and sets a precedent for police accountability in Nigeria.
