ECOWAS Court Awards ₦10 Million to Nigerian Student for Rights Violations
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court has ordered the Federal Republic of Nigeria to pay ₦10 million in compensation to Glory Okolie, a Nigerian student, for violating her human rights through unlawful detention and mistreatment.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday, held that Nigeria’s actions breached international human rights laws. The Court also directed Nigeria to implement measures to prevent similar violations in the future.
Okolie’s ordeal began on June 13, 2021, when she was detained by Nigerian police without judicial authorization. During her detention, she was allegedly denied access to legal counsel, subjected to forced labor, and physically abused, as claimed by the applicants, including Okolie, One Love Foundation, and the Incorporated Trustees of Behind Bars Human Rights Foundation.
The applicants argued that Nigeria’s actions contravened key provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Revised ECOWAS Treaty. They sought compensation and guarantees of non-repetition.
In its defense, Nigeria refuted the claims, alleging Okolie’s affiliation with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group linked to terrorist activities, and citing national security concerns as justification for her detention.
Delivering the judgment, Honourable Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, the Judge Rapporteur, ruled that Okolie’s prolonged detention without judicial authorization violated her rights under Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter, which guarantee freedom from arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial.
The Court awarded Okolie ₦10 million in damages and ordered Nigeria to cease harassment and take steps to ensure such violations are not repeated. However, it dismissed the claims of the co-applicant NGOs on procedural grounds.
The three-member panel of judges comprised Honourable Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves (presiding), Honourable Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, and Honourable Justice Edward Amoako Asante.
