The ECOWAS Court of Justice has directed the Nigerian government to provide N10 million in damages to journalist Jide Oyekunle. The ruling follows the reporter’s physical mistreatment, illegal detention, and the confiscation of his equipment.
The regional tribunal determined that the Nigerian state infringed upon the applicant’s fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, personal liberty, and property ownership, as outlined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The court rejected the government’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit, characterizing the actions of the police at Eagle Square during the August 2024 #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests as both excessive and unjustifiable.
Oyekunle, a journalist for the Daily Independent and secretary of the FCT chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, was assaulted by officers acting under the authority of former FCT Commissioner of Police Benneth Igweh. The case was brought forward by Avocats Sans Frontières France under their EU-backed eRIGHTS project.
Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, country director for the organization, praised the ruling as a significant win for press freedom. She noted that the judgment establishes a crucial legal precedent protecting journalists from digital censorship and state-sponsored intimidation during public events.
