A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has dismissed all allegations filed by the Nigeria Police Force against Prof. Zainab Duke-Abiola, widow of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
In a ruling delivered by Justice E. Okpe, the court described the actions of the police as inhuman and degrading, noting that they violated the claimant’s constitutional rights.
The judge held that the treatment meted out to Duke-Abiola amounted to a clear breach of her fundamental human rights.
The court awarded ₦100 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 alleged harassment and media trial by the police concerning claims that she assaulted a police orderly.
Other defendants in the suit included Inspector Teju Moses and the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Umar.
In her submission, she denied the allegations, stating that she never assaulted her orderly.
She said, “Contrary to the defamatory statement… I never assaulted my former orderly neither did I instruct anyone else to do so.”
She added, “Such an incident never took place in my house as there are CCTV cameras… to debunk the claim.”
Duke-Abiola further alleged that she was a victim of a setup.
“I was never a suspect but a victim of a frame-up by the defendants,” she said.
Justice Okpe, in his judgment, described the police action as a calculated attempt to frame her and a case of political persecution.
He said, “What occurred was a forceful abduction, a brazen violation of Professor Abiola’s dignity, liberty and constitutional rights.
“She was seized without due process, humiliated and unlawfully detained.”
The court dismissed all charges against Duke-Abiola and ordered the police to tender a public apology in two national newspapers.
Justice Okpe also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the police from further harassment or intimidation of the claimant.
