Six Women Arrested During 2019 Raid On Abuja Night Clubs Win Millions In Court

A coalition of civil society groups, on Wednesday, praised a court judgement which reportedly ordered the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), the Nigeria Police Force and another security agency to pay between N2 million to N4 million to six women as compensation for damages.

The groups, about 57, made this known in Abuja, at a press conference organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

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In 2019, security agents had arrested suspected prostitutes while raiding nightclubs in the federal capital.

It was alleged that those arrested were sexually assaulted and harassed while in detention.

Following the development, the women, through their lawyers, filed a suit seeking for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights.

They had also approached the Commission with a petition on behalf of the victims of the raid.

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The CSO group, represented by Deji Ajare and others, quoted the August 5 court judgement as saying that the maltreatment and detention of the applicants violated their rights as Nigerians.

They told the press that Justice Evelyn Maha of the Federal High Court “awarded between N2 million and N4 million in damages against the AEPB, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Inspector General of Police and Inspector Thomas Nzemekwe in favor of the six applicants.”

On his part, the NHRC Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, said the judgement “vindicated the position of civil society groups and the commission.”

He added that, “history has once more been made in Abuja in the landmark court judgements on the notorious raids of women and girls in the streets of Abuja by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board and other law enforcement agents”.

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