The ECOWAS Court has awarded N60 million damages against the Federal Government of Nigeria to Sunday Ayodeji, whose leg was amputated following a gunshot by a police officer in Kaduna.
The Court also ordered the Government to investigate the violation of Ayodeji’s fundamental human rights.
The ECOWAS Court, in the verdict delivered on Monday, July 10, held the Government responsible for the torture of the victim.
The case was said to have been handled pro-bono by an international human rights organisation, Avocats Sans Frontieres France, popularly known as Lawyers without Borders (France).
In a statement on Tuesday, the Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, said that the victim’s properties, including a car and N900,000, were also confiscated unlawfully by the same policeman.
Uzoma-Iwuchukwu also disclosed that Ayodeji was awarded N60 million with an order to return his seized possessions immediately.
Her words:
“We are delighted that despite all challenges and legal hurdles faced by our legal team in pursuit of justice in this case, justice was served.
“We are optimistic that this will serve as a deterrent against the systemic use of torture in Nigeria.
“The amount awarded by the Court will not restore our client who has been permanently disabled by torture, but it has given hope to not just Ayodeji but other torture survivors that justice is possible even against powerful governments and institutions.”
