The ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja has ruled that the Nigerian government must pay N60 million as compensation to Sunday Ayodeji, a man who was shot by a police officer in Kaduna State, North-west Nigeria, and lost one of his legs as a result.
The court delivered its judgment on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, following a lawsuit filed by Avocats Sans Frontieres France (Lawyers without Borders France), a human rights organization that provides legal assistance to victims of human rights violations.
According to the lawsuit, Mr Ayodeji was driving his car on October 22, 2020, when he was stopped by a police officer, Abdullahi Mohammed, at Giwa in Kaduna State. The officer demanded that Mr Ayodeji hand over his car and N900,000 that he had with him. When Mr Ayodeji refused, the officer shot him in the leg and took his car and money.
The gunshot wound was so severe that it led to the amputation of Mr Ayodeji’s leg. He also suffered psychological trauma and economic hardship as a result of the incident.
Mr Ayodeji reported the matter to the police authorities, but no action was taken against the officer. He also sought medical treatment at various hospitals, but he could not afford the cost of surgery and a prosthetic limb.
The ECOWAS Court found that the Nigerian government violated Mr Ayodeji’s rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing, and property as guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international instruments.
The court ordered the Nigerian government to pay N60 million to Mr Ayodeji as compensation for the physical, mental, and material damages he suffered. The court also ordered the government to investigate and prosecute the officer who shot Mr Ayodeji and ensure that he receives adequate medical care and rehabilitation.
It further urged the Nigerian government to take measures to prevent and combat police brutality and impunity in the country. The court recommended that the government should train and sensitize its law enforcement agents on human rights standards and accountability.
The court also called on the government to establish an independent and effective mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints of human rights violations by the police and other security agencies.
