The ECOWAS Court has awarded N60 million in damages against the Nigerian government for the torture of Sunday Olaniran Ayodeji by a police officer. Ayodeji’s leg was amputated as a result of a gunshot inflicted by a police officer in Kaduna State, and his possessions, including a car and the sum of N900,000, were confiscated by the same officer. The case was handled by Avocats Sans Frontieres France (Lawyers Without Borders France) on a pro-bono basis under the European Union (EU) and Agence française de Développement (AFD) funded SAFE Project.
The ECOWAS Court held the Nigerian government responsible for the torture of Mr. Ayodeji and awarded him Sixty Million Naira (NGN 60,000,000) in damages. The court also ordered the immediate return of his confiscated possessions and mandated the Nigerian government to internally investigate the human rights breach. Avocats Sans Frontieres France commended the ECOWAS Court’s judgment and urged the Nigerian government to uphold the court’s directives.
Mrs. Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, the Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, expressed delight that justice was served in the case despite the challenges faced by the legal team. She hoped that the judgment would deter the systemic use of torture in Nigeria and provide hope to other torture survivors that justice is possible even against powerful entities.
Sunday Olaniran Ayodeji, the victim of the torture, expressed his joy and relief over the ruling, stating that he felt fulfilled and grateful for the opportunity to obtain redress. He also highlighted the significance of the judgment for him and other victims of torture in Nigeria.
The case was handled as part of Avocats Sans Frontieres France’s SAFE project, which aims to end human rights violations such as torture, extra-judicial killings, and arbitrary detention in Nigeria. The project is funded by the European Union and Agence française de Développement (AFD).