Amnesty International yesterday hailed the ruling of the ECOWAS Court, which ordered the federal government to conduct a fresh investigation into rights violations that occurred during the October 2020 #EndSARS protests across Nigeria.
The Director Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, in a statement reiterated the organisation’s commitment to upholding human rights standards and ensuring accountability for perpetrators.
“Amnesty International welcomes the ruling of the Court that orders the government of Nigeria to conduct a new investigation of rights violations that occurred during the October 2020 #EndSARS protests across Nigeria, in line with its duty to promote and protect human rights under international law, prosecute perpetrators, and provide redress to victims.
“In response to applicants’ Catherine Udeh & Ors case against the harassment and brutality of the notorious and disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) the ECOWAS Court of Justice delivered its judgment today finding violations of the applicants’ right to liberty and security, freedom of expression and association, right to freedom of assembly and effective remedy.
“Amnesty International was a friend of the court in the case and made submissions that (1) the right to life is violated by use of lethal force on peaceful protesters, (2) that freedom of peaceful assembly is violated by the unlawful dispersal of peaceful assemblies (3) and that the individuals whose rights have been violated have the right to effective remedy.”
The ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja ruled yesterday that Nigeria violated the rights of citizens during the 2020 anti-police brutality demonstrations, popularly tagged EndSARS protests.
The #EndSARS protest erupted in numerous Nigerian cities in October 2020. At the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State, where it was most pronounced, security forces shot at peaceful protesters.
The ECOWAS Court gave its decision affirming the violation of the rights of three Nigerians who participated in the protest at Lekki Toll Gate.
The court held that the Federal Republic of Nigeria violated the human rights of Obianuju Catherine Udeh, Perpetual Kamsi, and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka.
Rights Violations: ECOWAS Court orders FG to pay DJ Switch, 2 others
Meanwhile, The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, has ordered the federal government to pay Obianuju Udeh, popularly known as DJ Switch, Perpetual Kamsi and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, ₦2 million each for violation of their rights.
The court found Nigeria in breach of Articles 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, specifically on 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, reports Channels TV.
Udeh and others alleged that these violations occurred during the peaceful protests against the SARS unit of the Nigerian Police Force at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos State on October 20 and 21, 2020.
The judge rapporteur, Justice Koroma Sengu, who delivered the judgment, however, dismissed the allegation that the right to life as guaranteed under article 4 of the ACPHR is violated.
Additionally, he said the federal government must adhere to its obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, investigate and prosecute its agents responsible for these violations, and report to the court within six months on the measures taken to implement this judgment.
Though the respondent denied all claims made by the applicants, asserting that the protesters unlawfully assembled at the Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020, under the guise of protesting against SARS, the court held that the respondent breached several articles of the ACPHR which occasioned fundamental breaches of human rights violation therein.
