The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, has slammed the Federal Government of Nigeria a fine of six million naira to be paid to some protesters whose rights were violated during the 2020 End SARS protest held in the country. Obianuju Udeh, popularly known as DJ Switch, along with Perpetual Kamsi and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka are to receive the sum of ₦2 million each.
The court found the Federal Government in breach of several articles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Specifically, the violations pertained to the right to life, security of person, freedom of expression, assembly and association, prohibition of torture, the duty of the state to investigate, and the right to effective remedy.
Udeh and the others claimed these violations occurred during the peaceful protests against the Nigerian Police Force’s SARS unit at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on October 20 and 21, 2020.
Justice Koroma Sengu, the judge rapporteur who delivered the judgment, dismissed the allegation that the right to life as guaranteed under Article 4 of the ACPHR was violated. However, he emphasized that the Nigerian Federal Government must comply with its obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This includes investigating and prosecuting those responsible for the violations and reporting to the court within six months on the measures taken to implement this judgment.
