A High Court in Abuja has struck out all charges brought against Zainab Duke-Abiola, ruling that the actions of the Nigeria Police Force violated her fundamental human rights.
Delivering judgment, Justice E. Okpe condemned the conduct of the police as “inhuman and degrading,” stating that it amounted to a serious breach of her constitutional rights.
The court subsequently awarded ₦100 million in damages against the police, former Inspector-General Usman Alkali Baba, and four other defendants.
Duke-Abiola had filed the suit over alleged harassment and what she described as a media trial by the police following accusations that she assaulted a police orderly. Other parties named in the case included Inspector Teju Moses and the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Umar.
In her defence, she firmly denied the allegation, insisting no such incident ever occurred in her residence. She pointed to the presence of CCTV cameras in her home as evidence that could disprove the claim and maintained that she was the victim of a deliberate setup.
Justice Okpe, in his ruling, described the incident as a “forceful abduction” and a calculated attempt to frame her, adding that she was unlawfully detained and publicly humiliated without due process.
The court not only dismissed all charges but also ordered the police to issue a public apology in two national newspapers. It further granted a perpetual injunction restraining the authorities from any future harassment or intimidation of Duke-Abiola.
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