Justice Bello Kawu of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay N12 million in damages for the abduction and illegal detention of Kasarahchi Aniagolu, a reporter with THE WHISTLER Newspaper.

Ms Aniagolu was said to have been arrested, assaulted, and detained for eight hours by the police on February 21, 2024, in Abuja.

The incident took place at a location in Wuse Zone 4 where police operatives allegedly came on a covert operation against operators of illegal Bureau De Change.

The Journalist in a suit filed on her behalf by her lawyer , Adekunle Kosoko of Seasons Law Firm, Abuja, subsequently filed a suit on October 25 2024 against the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, demanding N100 million.

Aniagolu in her statement of claims, said the police abducted her and breached her privacy by seizing her phone and deleting pictures in it.

She also accused the police of subjecting her to inhuman treatment while in detention, thereby infringing on her fundamental right.

Delivering judgment, the court held that the police “subjected the Applicant to inhuman and degrading treatment in contravention of Section 34(1)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

The court also declared that the “abduction of the applicant by officers of the Respondents and the subsequent detention of the Applicant at the Respondent’s station in Guzape District of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja infringed on the Applicants right to personal liberty, in contravention of sections 35(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Justice Kawu subsequently ordered the Police to pay the reporter the sum of N10 million as damages for the infringement on her fundamental rights.

The Judge also ordered the police to pay the reporter the sum of N2 million to cover the cost of litigation. (Arise News)

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