The Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State has awarded N22 million in damages against the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOS) over the assault of a lawyer, Sampson Ekigbo.
Mr Ekigbo had filed the fundamental rights suit against the NCoS and four other respondents on 30 January 2025.
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Assault
The lawyer was said to have been brutally assaulted on 24 November 2024 at Harriz Filling Station, Abakaliki, by two NCoS officers identified as Ifeanyi Nwovu and Ogwuma Chidi.
He is also a presiding officer in a customary court in the South-eastern state.
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Mr Ekigbo filed the suit against the NCoS, its comptroller-general and the comptroller in charge of Ebonyi Command of the Service and the two officers.
NCoS and its comptroller-general were listed in the suit as first and second respondents respectively.
The comptroller in charge of Ebonyi Command of the Service was the third respondent while Messrs Nwovu and Ogwuma were listed as fourth and fifth respondents respectively.
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Judgement
Delivering the judgement on Thursday, the judge, Hillary Oshomah, held that the assault of Mr Ekigbo by the NCoS officers amounted to a gross violation of his fundamental human rights, particularly his right to dignity of person as enshrined under Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Mr Oshomah further issued a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further torturing, intimidating, or molesting the applicant without lawful cause.
The judge also ordered the respondents to tender an unreserved apology to Mr Ekigbo which should be published in two national dailies within 14 days.
He then awarded N20 million as “compensation for the pains and torture” that were meted on the applicant by Messrs Nwovu and Ogwuma.
“Cost and expenses incidental to the institution and prosecution of this action is by order of this Honourable Court assessed to be N2 million in favour of the Applicant against the Respondents jointly and severally,” the judge added.
Post-judgement interest
The court imposed a 10 per cent per annum post-judgement interest on the cumulative judgement sum should the respondents fail to pay within 14 days.
“Post judgement interest at the rate of 10 per cent per annum on the entire cumulative Judgment sum is hereby awarded, to commence running if after 14 days from this Judgement the judgement sum is not finally and fully liquidated by the Respondents,” the judge ruled.
Neither the applicant nor the respondents were physically present in court during the judgement.
However, Mr Ekigbo’s lawyer, C.C. Aliugo, and Samuel Nwalieze, who represented the respondents, were in court.
Relief
Mr Ekigbo, the applicant, told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that he felt relieved by the judgement.
He recalled that the incident occurred on 24 November 2024 after a tricycle rammed into his vehicle at Harriz Filling Station Abakaliki where he had gone for repairs.
The lawyer recalled that he was attacked by two armed NCOS officers who slapped and dragged him while threatening to shoot him despite informing them that he is a judicial officer.
He said the assault left him with a severe ear injury that required hospitalisation.
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Mr Ekigbo narrated that all efforts by him, the Nigerian Bar Association and civil society groups to seek redress from the authorities were ignored, prompting his decision to go to court.
“I followed the path of peace, but they neglected every intervention. The judgment today is justice,” he said.
He stressed that the victory was not only personal but also a step towards upholding the dignity of judicial officers and the protection of citizens’ rights.
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