Court Awards N12m Damages Against Police For Abduction, Unlawful Detention Of THE WHISTLER Reporter

A Federal Capital Territory High Court presided by Justice Bello Kawu has asked the Nigeria Police Force to pay N12m in damages for the abduction and illegal detention of Kasarahchi Aniagolu, a reporter with THE WHISTLER Newspaper.

Aniagolu was arrested, assaulted, and detained for eight hours by the Nigeria Police Force on February 21, 2024, in Abuja.

She was arrested at a location in Wuse Zone 4 where police operatives allegedly came on a covert operation against operators of illegal bureau de change.

The reporter subsequently filed a suit on 25th October, 2024 against the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, demanding N100m.

In her statement of claims, she said the police abducted her and breached her privacy by seizing her phone and deleting pictures in it.

She also accused the police of subjecting her to inhuman treatment while in detention thereby infringing on her fundamental right. The suit was filed on her behalf by the legal firm of Adekunle Kosoko Esq. of Seasons Law Firm, Abuja.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, 29th July, the court declared that the police “subjected the Applicant to inhuman and degrading treatment in contravention of Section 34(1)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

The court also ruled that the “abduction of the applicant by officers of the Respondents and the subsequent detention of the Applicant at the Respondent’s station in Guzape District of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja infringed on the Applicants right to personal liberty, in contravention of sections 35(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Justice Kawu subsequently ordered the Police to pay the reporter the sum of N10m as damages for the infringement on her fundamental rights.

The presiding judge also ordered the police to pay the reporter the sum of N2m (two million naira) to cover the cost of litigation.