In a landmark ruling, the Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded N10 million in damages against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for infringing upon the rights of EndSARS protesters during a memorial rally on October 20, 2024. The court found that officers from the Lagos state police command unlawfully arrested at least 20 demonstrators and detained them in a police van for several hours before their release without any charges.

Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Kakaki stated that the police’s actions constituted a breach of the fundamental rights of the protesters who gathered at the Lekki tollgate to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the significant #EndSARS demonstrations.

The suit was filed as a fundamental rights enforcement action by 22 individuals and three civic organizations, including the Education Rights Campaign, Take It Back Movement, and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights. The plaintiffs included notable figures such as Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, and Aisha Omolara, who sought restitution for what they characterized as unlawful arrests and violations of their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

The respondents in the case included the inspector-general of police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos state commissioner of police, the chairman of the Lagos state task force, the governor of Lagos state, and the attorney-general of Lagos state.