A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police to pay the sum of 5 Million Naira as compensation to Adedotun Clement, the Uber driver that was publicly attacked, assaulted and humiliated by officials of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency and the Nigeria Police Force during the first anniversary of EndSARS in 2021.
Clement was carrying a passenger from the Island to the Mainland part of Lagos during the first anniversary of the EndSARS protest on 20th October 2021 when he encountered the protest at the Lekki Toll Gate which was disrupted by officials of Lagos State and the police.
Following the chaos that happened after policemen and officers of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency fired tear-gas canisters to disperse the protesters and arrested many protesters, Clement temporarily abandoned his car like other motorists and ran for his life.
However, when he came back to pick up his car, he was accosted, dragged, tortured and manhandled by the officers that refused heeding his entreaties that he was a Uber driver and only wanted to retrieve his car. The assault was recorded and reported by media houses.
While attempting to forcefully put him inside the vehicle of the Lagos State Taskforce otherwise called Black Maria, Lagos State Government officials in connivance with police officers used pepper-spray on him.
The public condemned the viral incident and Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, took up the case and flied lawsuit against Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency, Attorney General of Lagos and the Nigeria Police.
While delivering judgment in the fundamental rights case with Suit Number: FHC/CS/1862/2021, the presiding judge, Hon. Justice A. L. Allagoa, found that the way the applicant was treated amounted to a violation of his right to dignity and awarded the sum of N5 million as damages.
The Court condemned the torture of Clement by officials of the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force. Effiong, in his reaction to the judgment, expressed thanked the court for upholding the rights of his client.
He also urged the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to comply with the judgment and pay the compensation in line with his public declaration that he has compensated victims connected with the EndSARS, and to reassure Lagosians that he is a believer in human rights.
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