A High Court sitting in Kaduna has awarded ₦15 million in damages against the Nigeria Police Force for unlawfully disrupting two political meetings involving former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, and chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Murtala J. Zubairu also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, and his officers from interfering with the lawful political activities of the affected parties.
The case stemmed from incidents on August 30 and September 4, 2025, when separate meetings of ADC and SDP leaders in Kaduna were allegedly broken up — first by hired thugs in the presence of police officers, and later by the Police themselves.
The Police had justified their actions based on an ex parte injunction obtained in a suit marked KDH/KAD/NPD/1315/2025 between the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State, and the two political parties.
However, in a scathing judgment, Justice Zubairu dismissed the Police suit as “incompetent and an abuse of court process,” ruling that their actions violated the constitutional rights of the defendants to peaceful assembly and association.
The court held that the Police failed in their statutory duty to investigate complaints about the disruption of the August 30 meeting, as required under Sections 4, 83, and 84 of the Police Act, 2020.
The judge further declared that the ex parte injunction obtained by the Police infringed on the parties’ fundamental rights under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and was therefore invalid.
Justice Zubairu issued several consequential orders, including:
The discharge of the ex parte interim injunction of September 4, 2025, for procedural irregularities and lack of merit.
A perpetual injunction restraining the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, his officers, or agents from interfering with lawful political meetings, rallies, or assemblies.
A directive that the Police investigate the reported violence of August 30, 2025, and submit a report to the Attorney-General of Kaduna State within 60 days.
Damages totaling ₦15 million awarded in favour of the respondents for breach of rights, wrongful injunction, and abuse of statutory duty.
The judgment is being seen as a landmark victory for the protection of political freedom and civil rights in Nigeria, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.