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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) community court of justice has ruled that the Nigerian government is guilty of human rights abuses in its handling of the #EndSARS protest in October 2020.
The ruling followed the case brought against the Federal Government by Obianuju Catherine Udeh (popularly known as DJ Switch), Perpetual Kamsi, and Dabiraoluwa Adeyinka over allegations of violations which allegedly occurred during the peaceful protests at the Lekki tollgate on October 20 and 21, 2020.
In a judgement delivered on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, the ECOWAS court held that the Nigerian government's actions, particularly its disproportionate use of force at the Lekki Toll Gate were a breach of several international human rights standards, including articles 1, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11 of the African charter on human and peoples’ rights.
The court also mandated the Federal Government to pay each applicant 2 million naira as compensation for violations of their security.
However, the presiding judge, Justice Koroma Sengu, dismissed the allegation that the right to life as guaranteed under Article 4 of the ACPHR was violated.
Listed as the first applicant, DJ Switch claimed that protesters were shot by soldiers on the said day, resulting in death and injuries, which she live-streamed.
The self-exiled disk jockey also claimed to have received threatening phone calls that forced her into hiding and eventual asylum.
The second applicant, who was in charge of welfare for protesters, told the court how soldiers began shooting after the power went out, leading to her hospitalisation due to police tear gas.
The third applicant recalled how she barely escaped being shot and how soldiers denied an ambulance entry, as well as how she later saw victims receive inadequate medical service at the hospital.