A Federal High Court, Abakaliki Division has delivered a landmark judgment in favour of a legal practitioner, Sampson Imeze Ekigbo, awarding him a total of ?22 million in damages and costs against the Nigerian Correctional Service and four other respondents.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice Hillary Oshomah in suit number FHC/AI/FHR/11/2025, arose from a fundamental rights enforcement action filed by Mr Ekigbo on January 30, 2025.
The applicant was brutally assaulted on November 26, 2024, at Harriz Filling Station, Abakaliki, by two men identified as Mr Ifeanyi Nwovu and Mr Ogwuma Chidi, officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The lawyer, who is also a presiding officer in the Customary Court filed a suit against the the Service, its Comptroller General and the Comptroller in Charge of Ebonyi Command of the Service and the two officers.
In his ruling, Justice Oshomah held that the beating amounted to a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental human rights, particularly his right to dignity of person as enshrined under Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The beating of the Applicant who is presiding officer of customary court and legal practitioner at Harriz Filling Station, Abakaliki on the 26thday of November, 2024 without just cause by the 4th and 5th Respondents who were working for the 1st to 3rd Respondents, is a gross violation of the Fundamental Human Rights of the Applicant to dignity of his person contrary to Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
He further issued a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further torturing, intimidating, or molesting the applicant without lawful cause.
“An Order of Perpetual Injunction be and is hereby granted by this Honourable Court restraining the Respondents or anyone acting through them from torturing, molesting and/or intimidating the Applicant without committing any known wrong or offence or without a justifiable reason”, the judge said.
Nigeria: Court awards N22m in damages to Lawyer assaulted by correctional officers
