admin

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Tuesday, ordered the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police to pay an Uber driver, Adedotun Clement, the sum of N5 million as compensation.

Clement was allegedly assaulted by officials of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency and the Nigeria Police Force during the first anniversary of #EndSARS on October 20, 2021, at the Lekki Toll-Gate while he was carrying a passenger from the Island to the Mainland and was intercepted by the officials.

Following the pandemonium that ensued after policemen and the officers of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency fired tear-gas canisters to disperse the peaceful protesters and arrested many of them, Clement temporarily abandoned his car like other motorists and ran for his life.

But, by the time he returned to pick up his car, he was accosted, dragged, tortured and manhandled by the officers who refused to listen to his entreaties that he was an Uber driver and only wanted to retrieve his car.

The assault was captured on video which went viral on social media and it was also reported by media houses.

In their attempt to forcefully put him inside the vehicle of the Lagos State Task Force otherwise called Black Maria, the officials of the Lagos State Government in connivance with the police officers also used pepper spray on Clement who cried for help.

Following public condemnation that trailed the viral incident, Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Mr Inibehe Effiong, took up the case and sued the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency, the Attorney General of Lagos, and the Nigeria Police Force.

While delivering judgement in the fundamental rights case with Suit Number: FHC/CS/1862/2021, Justice Allagoa held that the treatment meted on the applicant amounted to a violation of his right to dignity and awarded the sum of N5 million as damages.

The court condemned the torture of Clement by officials of the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force.
The applicant’s counsel, Effiong, in his reaction to the judgement, expressed appreciation to the court for upholding the rights of his client.

Effiong also called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babjide Sanwo-Olu, to comply with the judgement and pay the compensation in line with his public declaration that he had compensated victims connected with the EndSARS, and to reassure Lagosians that he believes in human rights.

On a classy evening filled with the glitter of Government officials, Ambassadors, Consuls and Honorary Consuls, representatives of International Organizations, the Dutch Community, corporate executives, and special guests, gathered at the Country Lodge Hotel, into the warm embrace of the host, the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands Madam Binta Jalloh who in her usual radiant smiles welcome guests to the opening of the Honorary Consul of the Netherlands in Sierra Leone.

The well-attended event testified to the continued strong bilateral relations between the Netherlands and Sierra Leone.

Speaking at the occasion, Madam Jalloh, highlighted her early days as a 15-year-old on arriving the shores of Europe and the culture shock she experienced but held on to her dreams with reference to Walt Disney’s words that, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” “If you can visualize it, if you can dream it, there’s some way to do it.”.  

Furthermore, she emphatically noted, to the admiration of the audiencethat “I have come a long way and I must say that my confidence has never wavered, especially when it comes to serving both Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of the Netherlands; My appointment as the Honorary Consul for the Netherlands in Sierra Leone undoubtedly shows a promising good relationship between the two countries. Being that I am the daughter of both countries.”

Madam Binta Jalloh expressed her willingness to work hard within the dictates of the rules that govern her position and to showcase the opportunities available for partnership and cooperation in the various sectors that include but are not limited to the construction of megastructures, roads, bridges, dredges, logistics equipment, and water.

And she also promised to consolidate the ties between both countries through various opportunities for foreign direct investment.   

It would be recalled that the former Dutch Ambassador Rom Strikker during one of his visits to Sierra Leone did express plans to establish an honorary consulate in Freetown, which has become a reality.

The event was attended by dignitaries such as Katja Lasseur (Deputy Head of Mission) and Bram Van Opijnen (First Secretary and Policy Adviser), both from the Dutch Embassy in Accra Ghana.