Court Awards N25m Damages To Rep Doguwa

The Federal High Court in Abuja has exonerated Alhassan Doguwa, a member of the House of Representatives representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, of murder charges brought against him by the Kano State Government and the police.

The court also awarded N25 million in damages against the Kano State Government for infringing upon Doguwa’s fundamental rights.

In a judgement delivered by Justice D.U. Okorowo, the court declared that the threat and attempts by the Kano State Government to arrest, detain, and prosecute Doguwa were illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional. The court found that the police had already investigated the case and exonerated Doguwa of any wrongdoing.

The case arose from a violent confrontation between members of the then-opposition New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the February 25, 2023, general election in Kano. The incident led to the razing of the NNPP campaign office and the loss of lives.

Doguwa, a member of the APC, had accused the police and the Kano State Government of bias after he was arraigned as a principal actor in the fracas. However, the court found that NNPP supporters were responsible for blocking the road and setting fire to the street, which extended to their party office, resulting in the death of two people and injuries to many others.

The court granted a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from inviting, arresting, or detaining Doguwa to review the legal advice issued by the Kano State Attorney-General on May 23, 2023, without proffering fresh evidence against him. The court also nullified the legal advice and awarded N25 million in general damages against the Kano State Government for causing psychological pain and damage to Doguwa.