Court Slams Nigerian Police With N12million Damages For Assaulting, Illegally Detaining Journalist, Declares Actions Unconstitutional

Court Slams Nigerian Police With N12million Damages For Assaulting, Illegally Detaining Journalist, Declares Actions Unconstitutional

The court awarded N10million as general damages for the violation of her fundamental rights and an additional N2 million as the cost of litigation, bringing the total compensation to N12million.

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has ordered the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to pay N12 million in damages and litigation costs to Kasarahchi Aniagolu, a reporter with The Whistler newspaper, after finding that she was unlawfully abducted, assaulted, and detained by police officers in violation of her constitutional rights.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Bello Kawu on Wednesday, July 29, held that the actions of the police amounted to a breach of Aniagolu’s fundamental rights to dignity and personal liberty as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The court awarded N10million as general damages for the violation of her fundamental rights and an additional N2 million as the cost of litigation, bringing the total compensation to N12million.

Aniagolu was arrested on February 21, 2024, while carrying out her duties as a journalist in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, where operatives of the Nigeria Police Force were reportedly conducting a covert operation targeting operators of illegal bureau de change businesses.

According to court documents, despite identifying herself as a journalist, she was abducted by the police, physically assaulted, and detained for approximately eight hours at the police station in Guzape District, Abuja.

The reporter subsequently instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit on October 25, 2024, against the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, seeking N100 million in damages over her unlawful arrest, detention, assault, and invasion of privacy.

In her statement of claim, Aniagolu accused the police of illegally seizing her mobile phone, violating her privacy by deleting photographs stored on the device, and subjecting her to degrading and inhuman treatment while she was in custody.

She argued that the actions of the police constituted a gross infringement of her constitutionally guaranteed rights.

The suit was filed on her behalf by Adekunle Kosoko Esq. of Seasons Law Firm, Abuja.

In the judgment, Justice Kawu ruled that the police violated Section 34(1)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution by subjecting the journalist to inhuman and degrading treatment.

The court declared: “The Respondents subjected the Applicant to inhuman and degrading treatment in contravention of Section 34(1)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Justice Kawu further held that the police also violated Aniagolu’s constitutional right to personal liberty under Section 35(1) of the Constitution through her unlawful arrest and detention.

The judge declared:”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 Applicant’s right to personal liberty, in contravention of Section 35(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Following the findings, the court ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay N10 million as compensation for the infringement of Aniagolu’s fundamental rights.

Justice Kawu also directed the police to pay an additional N2 million to cover the cost of the legal proceedings.

The ruling represents another judicial condemnation of unlawful arrests, arbitrary detention, and violations of fundamental human rights by law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, reinforcing constitutional protections against abuse of power by security operatives