The ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja on Friday, ordered the Federal Government to pay journalist, Agba Jalingo the sum of N30 million as compensation for ill-treating and torturing him while in detention in Cross River State.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) filed a fundamental human rights enforcement action on behalf of Agba Jalingo who was arrested and chained to a deep freezer for about 34 days without being charged to court, brutalized and dehumanized.
The action, which had the Federal Government and the Cross River State government as defendants, sought for court’s reparation for inhuman treatment and torture meted out to the journalist.
The court agreed with SERAPa counsel, Femi Falana (SAN) that, “There was no answer as to the facts that Jalingo was arrested and illegally detained, brutalized and dehumanized.
“This is against international human rights treaties, particularly the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. The Nigerian government has flouted the provisions of these treaties on international fair trial standards.
“For these reasons, on the claims of compensation for ill-treatment and torture, SERAP has been able to establish the claims. We condemn the Nigerian government for these acts, and hereby award compensation of N30 million to Mr Jalingo for violations of his human rights.
“The Nigerian government must comply with the order of the court within three months, and file a process to this court to this effect,” the court stated.
SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare said Falana, while reacting to the ECOWAS court verdict said, “It is to be hoped that the Federal and state governments and all law enforcement agencies will study the terms of the judgment and desist from further infringing on the human rights of the Nigerian people, including criminal suspects who are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State.”
Jalingo, who is the publisher of Cross River Watch, was arrested on August 22 over a report alleging that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River state diverted N500 million belonging to the state.
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