A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has struck out all charges filed by the Nigeria Police Force against Prof. Zainab Duke-Abiola, widow of the late M.K.O. Abiola, and awarded her ₦100 million in damages.
Delivering judgment, Justice E. Okpe strongly condemned the conduct of the police, describing it as inhumane, degrading, and a violation of her fundamental human rights. The court held that the treatment amounted to a clear breach of her constitutional protections.
The judge ordered the Nigeria Police Force, along with former Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali Baba and four other defendants, to jointly pay the ₦100 million compensation.
Duke-Abiola had approached the court over alleged harassment and what she termed a media trial following accusations that she assaulted a police orderly. Other respondents in the case included Inspector Teju Moses and the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Umar.
She denied all allegations, insisting the incident never occurred and maintaining that CCTV footage from her residence would support her account. She also described the claims as fabricated, stating she was the target of a setup rather than a suspect.
Justice Okpe ruled that the actions of the police amounted to a calculated attempt to frame her, describing it as unlawful detention and a violation of her dignity and liberty.
The court further ordered the police to issue a public apology in two national newspapers and granted a perpetual injunction restraining any further harassment or intimidation of Duke-Abiola.
