The ECOWAS Court ruled on Wednesday that the Nigerian government violated human rights with its actions during the Lekki Toll Gate incident in Lagos. The court found these actions broke several international human rights laws.
The court ordered the Nigerian government to pay N2 million to each victim named in the lawsuit.
The applicants, including DJ Switch, Perpetual Kamsi, and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka, said their rights were violated during the peaceful protests at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20 and 21, 2020.
DJ Switch said that soldiers shot at protesters, causing deaths and injuries, and she live-streamed this event. She later received threatening phone calls and had to go into hiding.
The second applicant, who took care of the protesters, described how soldiers started shooting after the power went out, which led to her being hospitalized due to tear gas from the police.
The third applicant said she narrowly escaped being shot and saw soldiers preventing ambulances from helping. She also saw victims getting poor treatment in the hospital.
The third applicant also said that after helping the victims, she received threats and was constantly watched by government agents.
The applicants asked the court for official recognition of their rights violations and monetary compensation.
The Nigerian government denied all the claims, stating that the protesters gathered illegally at the Lekki Toll Gate to protest against the disbanded SARS unit of the police.
The government also said its agents followed strict rules and did not shoot or kill protesters. They accused DJ Switch of inciting the crowd with music and social media posts.
The government argued that the second applicant’s support for protesters showed she backed the violent protest. They said the injured were treated by the Lagos state government and that there was no strong evidence for the claims.
Judge Koroma Mohamed Sengu, delivering the judgment, said the court dismissed the claim that the right to life was violated. However, the court found the government guilty of violating rights to security, freedom of expression, assembly, and association, and for not investigating these human rights violations.
The court ordered the Nigerian government to follow human rights laws, investigate and prosecute responsible agents, and report back in six months. Other judges on the panel were Dupe Atoki and Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalve
