Court Orders Police to Pay EndSARS Protesters ₦10m for Rights Abuse

A court in Nigeria has ordered the country’s police chief and the Lagos police commissioner to pay ₦10 million (\$6,600) in damages to a group of #EndSARS protesters.

The Federal High Court in Lagos ruled that the protesters were unlawfully harassed during a memorial rally held on 20 October 2024, marking four years since the anti-police brutality movement shook the nation.

Justice Musa Kakaki said the police violated the protesters’ constitutional rights, noting that law enforcement must operate within democratic principles.

Those awarded damages include Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, Ilesanmi Kehinde, Osopale Adeseye, Olamilekan Sanusi, and Miss Osugba Blessing. Rights groups including the Education Rights Campaign and the Take It Back Movement supported the case.

Recall that the #EndSARS movement began in 2020, calling for an end to police abuses and the disbandment of the controversial SARS unit.