Court clears Abiola’s widow, slams police with N100m damages

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja has dismissed all charges filed by the Nigeria Police Force against Prof. Zainab Duke-Abiola, widow of the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

Delivering judgment, Justice E. Okpe ruled that the actions of the police were inhuman, degrading, and a violation of her fundamental human rights. The court consequently awarded N100 million in damages against the police, a former Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, and four other defendants.

Duke-Abiola had approached the court over what she described as sustained harassment and a media trial by the police following allegations that she assaulted a police orderly.

Other defendants in the suit included Inspector Teju Moses, former FCT Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Umar, and Magistrate Elizabeth Wonni.

In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2370/2022, the professor argued that defamatory publications by the police across print, electronic, and social media severely damaged her reputation, caused emotional distress, and diminished her standing both locally and internationally.

She denied ever assaulting her orderly or directing anyone to do so, insisting that no such incident occurred in her residence and that available surveillance systems could disprove the claims. She described the allegations as a deliberate attempt to frame her.

In its ruling, the court held that the police action amounted to a calculated abuse of power and political persecution.

The judge described her arrest as a forceful abduction carried out without due process, noting that she was unlawfully detained and subjected to humiliation, in clear violation of her constitutional rights.

The court ordered the police to issue a public apology to Duke-Abiola in two national newspapers and granted a perpetual injunction restraining the force from any further harassment or intimidation.

In a related ruling, Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi also declared her arrest and detention without arraignment unlawful and unconstitutional, affirming that her right to dignity was violated and awarding additional damages alongside a directive for public apology.