The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, court of Justice has found the Federal Government guilty of violating the fundamental human rights of youths that participated in the October 2020, EndSARS protest.
According to VANGUARD report, the court, in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel of Justices, on Wednesday, June 10, held that the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through its security agencies, violated Articles 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, ACPHR, pertaining to the right to life, security of person, freedom of expression, assembly and association, prohibition of torture, duty of the state to investigate, and the right to effective remedy.
The Applicants alleged that the violations occurred during peaceful protests held at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on October 20 and 21, 2020.
The regional court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by the Judge Rapporteur, Justice Koroma Mohamed Sengu, dismissed the Applicants’ allegation that their right to life as guaranteed under Article 4 of the ACPHR, was violated.
However, it ordered FG to pay each of the Applicants the sum of N2million as compensation for violations of their security of person, prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association, duty to investigate human rights violations, and right to effective remedy.
Additionally, it held that FG must adhere to its obligations under the ACPHR, by investigating and prosecuting its agents responsible for the violations.
The court also ordered FG to within the next six months, report to it, measures taken to implement the judgment.
The Court further ordered FG to make reparations to the Applicants for the violation of their fundamental human rights.
