A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Tuesday, ordered the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force to pay a compensation sum of N5 million to Adedotun Clement, an Uber driver who was assaulted by officials of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency (LNSA) and police officers during the first anniversary of #EndSARS in October 2021.

Justice A. L. Allagoa, delivering judgement in the case marked FHC/CS/1862/2021, found that the LNSA and the police violated Clement’s right to dignity, and awarded him the sum as damages.

One of the policemen who attempted to arrest Clement on the day of the memorial fired pepper spray directly into his eyes, causing irritation and redness of the eye.

Confirming the ruling to FIJ, Inibehe Effiong, Clement’s lawyer, said he hoped Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Governor, would uphold the judgement and compensate Clement.

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Recalling how Clement’s ordeal began, Effiong said, “During the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest on October 20, 2021, Mr Clement was carrying a passenger from the Island to the Mainland part of Lagos when he encountered the protest at the Lekki Toll Gate, which was disrupted by officials of the Lagos State Government and the police.

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

“However, when he returned to pick his car, he was accosted, dragged, tortured and manhandled by the officers who refused to heed his entreaties that he was an Uber driver and only wanted to retrieve his car. The assault was captured on video and reported by media houses.

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

He said he took up the case on behalf of Clement and sued the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency, the Attorney General of Lagos and the Nigeria Police.

The judgement brings an end a two-year legal battle between Clement and the government.

Ojukwu is a reporter with FIJ in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.