The Nigeria Police Force has been fined N15 million for unlawfully detaining seven alleged members of Boko Haram for three years without trial. The fine was ordered by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The seven people were arrested inside a Maiduguri market in Borno. They were then illegally held captive at the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) detention facility at Abbatoir in Abuja.
The three-year detainment of the seven suspects of Boko Haram members without trial contradicted the 1999 constitution on human rights, Justice M.O Olajuwon in a judgment declared.
The judge said that the police had detained the seven people far beyond the period allowed by law, especially with no evidence of their supposed crimes. Justice Olajuwon then ordered the seven detainees to be released and each of them to be paid a sum of N2 million for their unlawful detention and another N10 million as the cost of litigation.
The seven detainees are Ajiri Dungus, Gudja Giddah, Adam Mohammed, Wardi Dungus, Fanami Mustapha, Mohammed Abba and Makinka Dungus. The court could be seen preparing a warrant for their release after the verdict was heard on Wednesday.
Counsel to the suspects Mr Peter Aboh thanked the judge for the verdict. He claimed that the police labelled them Boko Haram members to justify the detention.
Mr Aboh also said that the seven detainees were discovered by Dayspring Life Foundation, an Abuja-based Non-Governmental Organization, who offered to rescue them.
