The ECOWAS Court ordered the Nigerian government to pay N60 million to a victim who was shot by a police officer in Kaduna.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja has awarded N60 million against the Nigerian government in favour of Sunday Ayodeji, who was shot by a police officer in Kaduna State, North-west Nigeria.
On 22 October 2020, a police officer, Abdullahi Mohammed, shot at Mr Ayodeji at Giwa in Kaduna State. The gunshot led to an amputation of one of Mr Ayodeji's legs.
Mr Ayodeji was dispossessed of a car and N900,000 by the police during the attack.
However, the Avocats Sans Frontieres France (Lawyers without Borders France) instituted an action against the Nigerian government at the ECOWAS Court, seeking compensation for Mr Ayodeji.
Delivering judgement on the suit on Monday, a judge of the ECOWAS Court, Dupe Atoki, berated the Nigerian government for violating the fundamental human rights of Mr Ayodeji.
A press statement issued on Tuesday by the ASF, said "the Nigerian Government has also been ordered by the court to internally investigate the human rights breach of Mr Sunday Olaniran Ayodeji."
The court also ordered the immediate return of Mr Ayodeji's confiscated possessions by the police.
Speaking on the outcome of the suit on Tuesday, the Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, expressed joy over the success which she said was secured "despite legal hurdles faced by our legal team in pursuit of justice in this case, justice was served."
Ms Uzoma-Iwuchukwu was optimistic that the verdict would serve as a deterrent against the "systemic use of torture in Nigeria."
She added that the amount awarded by the court "will not restore our client who has been permanently disabled by torture..."
Justice not served until perpetrators are held to account
Speaking at a training programme for members of the National Committee Against Torture (NCAT) on Tuesday in Abuja, Ms Uzoma-Iwuchukwu said "justice for victims of torture will not be enough until perpetrators of the crime are held to account."
Nigeria has an anti-torture legislation enacted in 2017. "But the government needs to do more to ensure its implementation," the ASF country director suggested.
She decried that there has been no prosecution of security agents who torture crime suspects in Nigeria.
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She revealed that the ASF France has been providing support for about 2000 victims of torture accross Nigeria, but the Attorney General of the Federation had yet to issue the implementing guidelines for the anti-torture law.
Similarly, the Charge d'Affaires Australian High Commission in Nigeria, Leann Johnson, expressed "hope" that the Nigerian government would have a framework to ensure "penalties for proven cases of torture."
Ms Johnson stated the Australian government's commitment to promoting human rights across the globe.
Convener of Access to Justice, a not-for-profit organisation, Joseph Otteh, said the "infliction of very cruel, degrading treatment against persons who are in custody has been very systematic and country-wide in Nigeria."
Mr Otteh, a human rights lawyer, said the National Committee Against Torture ought to be the key driver in the fight against torture.
"But over the years, that committee has been unable to function. So, ASF has been trying to build capacity within the committee so that they can do their mandate," he said.
