ECOWAS court orders Nigeria to pay #ENDSARS victims N2 million each

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court on Wednesday ordered Nigeria to pay N2 million each to some victims of the October 2020 #ENDSARS protests in Lagos.

Several youths were killed and several others injured by security forces during nationwide protests to protest the brutality of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

In his ruling, Justice Sengu Koroma, the Reporting Judge, ruled that Nigeria should pay each of the applicants N2 million as compensation for the violation of their “right to security of person.”

The applicants, Obianuju Catherine Udeh, Perpetual Kamsi and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, in their application alleged that the offences occurred during a peaceful protest at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State between October 20 and October 21, 2020.

The court also ordered Nigeria to pay the victims a sum of money as compensation for “the violation of their rights under the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as the right to freedom of expression.”

He ordered compensation for violations of victims’ rights to assembly and association, failure to comply with the duty to investigate human rights violations, and the right to an effective remedy.

The court also ordered Nigeria to comply with its obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), investigate and prosecute its agents responsible for the violations.

Judge Koroma further stated that Nigeria was in violation of Articles 1, 4, 6, 9, 10 and 11 of the ACHPR.

The law establishes the rights to life, security of person, freedom of expression, assembly and association, the prohibition of torture, the state’s duty to investigate, and the right to an effective remedy.

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