By Cynthia Talatu Batuta
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has awarded N10 million in damages against the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the assault, unlawful arrest, detention, and confiscation of the property of journalist Jide Oyekunle while carrying out his professional duties during the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests in Abuja.
The landmark judgment, delivered on June 22, 2026, in Suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/29/25, followed legal action instituted by Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) under its European Union-supported eRIGHTS Project, which promotes the protection of human rights in digital spaces.
Oyekunle, a reporter with Independent Newspaper and former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Correspondents’ Chapel, was assaulted, detained, and deprived of his equipment by armed police officers allegedly acting on the orders of former FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, at Eagle Square, Abuja, on August 1, 2024, while covering the nationwide protest.
The regional court upheld arguments presented by the applicant’s counsel, Collins I. Maidoh-Anene, Esq., ruling that the journalist’s detention and the seizure of his mobile phone were excessive, unjustifiable, and inconsistent with international human rights standards.
In its decision, the Court held Nigeria responsible for violating Oyekunle’s rights to freedom of expression, personal liberty, human dignity, and property as guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The Court found that the actions of the security operatives disrupted the journalist’s live coverage of the protest and amounted to an infringement of his right to freedom of expression under Article 9 of the African Charter. It further ruled that the physical assault and detention breached his rights to liberty and dignity under Articles 5 and 6, while the temporary confiscation of his mobile phone violated his right to property under Article 14.
According to the Court, the Nigerian government’s justification for the actions of its security personnel failed to meet the international legal threshold of necessity, rendering the conduct unlawful and disproportionate.
Reacting to the ruling, Country Director of ASF France, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, described the judgment as a significant victory for press freedom and digital rights across West Africa.
She noted that the judgment reinforces the principle that journalists’ digital devices are indispensable tools of modern journalism and that arbitrary confiscation of such tools by security agencies constitutes an attack on the public’s right to information.
“The Court’s pronouncement contributes to the growing body of regional jurisprudence protecting journalists and human rights defenders who document protests and other matters of public interest,” she stated.
Uzoma-Iwuchukwu added that ASF France would continue to monitor compliance with the judgment while providing legal support to journalists facing similar rights violations.
She further stressed that the decision strengthens safeguards for media practitioners in the digital era, discourages censorship and intimidation, and sends a strong warning to security agencies against targeting journalists covering public events and protests.
Speaking after the judgment, Oyekunle described the ruling as a major affirmation of journalists’ constitutional and professional rights.
“This decision is not only about me; it is about every journalist, media worker, and citizen who believes in freedom of expression, access to information, and peaceful civic participation,” he said.
According to him, democracy cannot flourish where journalists are attacked for documenting events or where citizens are punished for exercising lawful rights.
He emphasized that the judgment sends a clear signal that government institutions and security agencies must be held accountable whenever they violate fundamental human rights.
“If democracy is founded on accountability, transparency, and good governance, then press freedom must never be curtailed, denied, or restricted,” he added.
Oyekunle expressed appreciation to the Nigeria Union of Journalists FCT Council, ASF France, colleagues, human rights advocates, and Nigerians committed to defending press freedom and democratic values for their support throughout the legal process.