By Human Rights Press Staff
July 13, 2023
A West African court has found the Nigerian government guilty of human rights abuses during its suppression of the 2020 #EndSARS protests against police brutality.
The ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja imposed a financial penalty on Nigeria for its forceful crackdown on peaceful protesters who demanded the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Two weeks into the protests, security forces opened fire on demonstrators at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, resulting in several casualties. The court found evidence of excessive force and violations of the right to liberty, security, assembly, free speech, and dignity, particularly at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.
The court ordered the Nigerian government to pay N2 million (approximately US$1,200) in compensation to each victim named in the suit, filed by Perpetual Kamsi, Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, and Obianuju Catherine Udeh. Udeh had live-streamed the shootings on Instagram, while Kamsi and Adeyinka were both directly impacted by the violence.
Their lawyer, Bolaji Gabari, hailed the verdict as a significant victory for the #EndSARS movement. The court also mandated that Nigeria investigate and prosecute those responsible for the abuses and provide an update within six months.
The #EndSARS movement, which began in 2020, quickly evolved from protests against police brutality to a broader call for police reform and an end to bad governance in Nigeria. A government-appointed panel later classified the Lekki Toll Gate incident as a “massacre” following a yearlong investigation.
