The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay ₦10 million in damages to individuals who participated in the 2024 #EndSARS memorial protest, ruling that their rights were unlawfully violated.
According to FIJ, delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Kakaki held that the actions of police officers during the protest were illegal and constituted a breach of the protesters’ fundamental human rights.
“This court finds the conduct of the Nigeria Police Force in this instance unjustifiable and a clear violation of the rights to freedom of assembly and expression,” the judge declared.
The ruling stems from an incident in October 2024, when security operatives reportedly disrupted a peaceful memorial protest commemorating the original 2020 #EndSARS movement against police brutality.
Several participants were allegedly harassed, arrested, or injured during the event.
Human rights lawyers who represented the protesters welcomed the verdict, describing it as a win for civil liberties.
“This judgment reaffirms that the Nigerian constitution protects the right of citizens to protest peacefully, and no arm of government should trample on that,” said Olumide Ajayi, one of the legal representatives.
While the police are yet to issue an official response, civil society groups have praised the court’s decision as a step toward accountability for abuses linked to the #EndSARS movement.