MKO Abiola’s Widow To Get N50m Reward After Police Arrest in Nightgown
- The widow of the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, Prof Zainab Abiola, has been handed N50 million compensation by the court
- The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ruled on Thursday, January 18, ordering the police to pay the compensation
- The ruling was issued because police operatives arrested the widow in her nightgown in 2022 after invading her residence
Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro
FCT, Abuja - The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja issued a directive on Thursday, January 18, compelling the Inspector-General of Police to compensate the widow of the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, Prof Zainab Abiola, with N50 million in damages.
This decision stems from the violation of her fundamental rights when she was arrested and publicly paraded while wearing only a nightgown.
Source: Facebook
Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi, delivering the judgment, also mandated the police to issue a public apology to Prof Zainab Abiola in two national newspapers.
The legal action was initiated by Abiola through a fundamental human rights enforcement suit (FCT/HC/CV/2431/2023), naming the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector Teju Moses, and Engineer Ibrahim (son of former IGP Usman Alkali Baba) as co-defendants.
In 2022, a woman accused police officers of forcibly entering her home in Abuja, arresting her in her nightgown, and taking her to the station. According to her, she endured three days of detention and torture without a trial.
However, the defendants, refuting her claims, asserted that they were unfamiliar with her and insisted that the allegations were untrue.
A recent judgment, as per the Certified True Copy, revealed that Justice Osho-Adebiyi concluded that the defendant's detention of Abiola, without bringing her before a proper court, constituted a severe infringement of her right to personal liberty.
The court verdict
In her ruling, as quoted by Punch, Justice Osho-Adebiyi said:
"In the circumstances, the sum of N50,000,000.00 only is awarded to the applicant as compensation against the first, second and fourth respondents jointly.
“The respondents are hereby ordered to tender a public apology to the applicant in two national daily newspapers in pursuance of the provisions of Section 35 (6) I of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”
The police charged Abiola with assaulting Inspector Teju Moses, a female police officer.
It is claimed that she, along with her domestic staff, Rebecca Enechido, assaulted the policewoman at her Garki residence in the FCT on September 20, 2022.
Police IG ordered to pay woman N100m over husband's death in custody
In another similar report, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to pay N100m to the widow of Mark Kajo.
The deceased was allegedly arrested, unlawfully detained, tortured and finally died in police custody.
The judge also ordered a five per cent interest on the fine until the police fully settle the judgment debt.
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Source: Legit.ng
