A West African court has found Nigeria guilty of violating the rights of three protesters in the EndSARS rallies against police brutality that convulsed major cities in October 2020.
The #EndSARS movement began over abuses by the notorious SARS anti-robbery squad but grew into the largest anti-government protests in Nigeria’s recent history.
Eyewitnesses and rights organisations accused security forces of opening fire on peaceful protesters at the Lekki toll gate in the country’s commercial hub, Lagos, on the evening of October 20, 2020.
Amnesty International said the army killed at least 10 people at the toll gate, but security forces rejected responsibility, saying troops used blank rounds to disperse people breaking a curfew.
Nigerian DJ Obianuju Catherine Udeh live-streamed part of the events and went into hiding soon after, saying she was targeted for doing so and had received threatening calls.
“Justice was served yesterday,” Udeh said on X after Wednesday’s judgement.
“I cannot express the emotional trauma we’ve all been through and life changes we’ve had to make but thankfully, with professional help, we’ve been able to work through it and this verdict certainly made a positive impact.”
In December 2021, Udeh and two other protesters Perpetual Kamsi and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka sued the Nigerian government at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court in Abuja for various “human rights violations” linked to their roles in the protests.
The West Africa regional court said Nigeria violated numerous provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).
The court ordered Nigeria to pay each of the three complainants a total of 10 million naira ($6,170) for violations including their rights to personal security, protection from torture, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment, freedom of expression, assembly and association, and the state’s duty to investigate human rights abuses.
Udeh said hearing the verdict was “one of the best days of my life since that horrific day”.
The Nigerian government has not responded to AFP’s requests for comment.
