A Federal High Court in Lagos state has ordered the Lagos State government and the Nigeria Police to pay the sum of five million naira as compensation to an Uber driver who was assaulted by some police officers during EndSARS first year anniversary. 

The victim, Adedotun Clement, was assaulted on October 20, 2021, by officials of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency and police officers at Lekki Tollgate.

Following the incident, the victim, through his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, filed a suit against the Lagos State government over the unlawful attack of the driver.

On Tuesday, the presiding judge, A. L. Allagoa, in his ruling ordered that five million naira be paid as damages for the violation of Mr Clement’s rights. 

The court condemned the torture of Mr Clement by officials of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency and the Nigeria Police Force.

The applicant’s counsel, Mr Effiong, expressed appreciation that the court uphold the rights of his client and justice was served 

In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Mr Effiong narrated how his client was assaulted by officials of the Lagos police command and Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency. 

The lawyer said his client was carrying a passenger from the Island to the Mainland, when he encountered an ongoing protest on October 20, 2021, at the Lekki Toll Gate.

Mr Clement abandoned his car on the roadside after police officers fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.

“During the first anniversary of the EndSARS protest on 20th October 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 Lagos State and the police,” @Inibehe Effiong tweeted 

“Following the pandemonium that ensued after policemen and officers of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency fired tear-gas 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.

“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.”

Mr Effiong urged governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to comply with the judgement and pay the compensation in order to reassure Lagosians that he believes in human rights.