The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Court of Justice has ruled that the Nigerian government violated the human rights of protesters during the #EndSARS demonstrations in 2020.
The court specifically condemned the government’s response to the demonstrations at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, where security forces reportedly opened fire on peaceful protestors. The ruling comes after a lawsuit filed by three individuals who participated in the protests, which called for an end to police brutality and good governance.
The applicants were Obianuju Catherine Udeh, popularly known as DJ Switch; Perpetual Kamsi, and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka. The trio told the court that security forces used excessive force, resulting in the deaths of several protesters and injury to many others.
The Nigerian government dismissed the claims by the plaintiffs, stating that the protesters unlawfully assembled at Lekki tollgate on 20 October 2020, under the guise of protesting against the now-defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad, SARS, a unit of the Nigeria police.
The government argued that security forces responded appropriately to restore order, and maintained professionalism during the engagement and neither shot or killed protesters.
However, the ECOWAS Court rejected the government’s defence. The court determined that the Nigerian government breached several articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights by the use of force to disperse the protesters. These included violations of the right to life, security of person, freedom of expression, assembly, and association.
Additionally, the court ruled that the government failed in its duty to investigate the human rights violations and provide effective remedies to the victims. The judgment was delivered on Wednesday, 10th July.
The court ordered the Nigerian government to pay N2 million in compensation to each of the three plaintiffs. Furthermore, the court mandated the government to conduct a fair and transparent investigation into the actions of its security forces and to hold those responsible accountable.
The Nigerian government must also report back to the court within six months on the steps taken to implement the judgment.
The #EndSARS movement was a nationwide protest that began in October 2020, calling for the disbandment of the SARS, a police unit notorious for human rights abuses. The protests were met with violence from security forces, resulting in the deaths of at least 50 people and injury to many others.
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