The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Tuesday ordered former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, alongside the Inspector General of Police and the Nigerian Police Force, to pay a combined N920 million in damages for the unlawful arrest and detention of elders from the Adara community in 2019.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Hauwau Buhari, followed a fundamental human rights suit filed by Awemi Dio Maisamari and eight other elders from the Southern Kaduna-based community. The plaintiffs alleged they were arbitrarily arrested and detained under the directive of the then-governor without lawful justification.
In a ruling that legal experts have described as precedent-setting, the court awarded N900 million in damages against Mr. El-Rufai and an additional N10 million each against the Inspector General of Police and the Nigerian Police Force for their roles in the violation of the elders’ constitutional rights.
The court found that the detention of the Adara elders violated their right to personal liberty, dignity, and fair hearing, as guaranteed under sections 34, 35, and 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, welcomed the decision, calling it “a watershed moment in the fight against abuse of executive power.”
“This judgment is a strong message that public office holders are not above the law,” Ballason said. “Whether shielded by temporary immunity or not, executive authority does not extend to unlawful actions.”
This is not the first time a court has ruled against El-Rufai’s administration in a rights abuse case. In 2017, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court ordered the Kaduna State Government to pay N40 million in damages to Audu Maikori, CEO of Chocolate City Group, for his unlawful arrest and detention.
The latest ruling adds to the mounting legal scrutiny of El-Rufai’s eight-year tenure, particularly regarding human rights issues in crisis-prone areas of Southern Kaduna.
During his administration, the region frequently reported communal violence, with the government often accused of heavy-handed responses to civil dissent and unrest.
Legal analysts suggest the judgment reaffirms the judiciary’s critical role in upholding civil liberties and deterring arbitrary state action.
The Nigerian Police Force has yet to issue an official statement regarding the court ruling as of press time. Efforts to reach El-Rufai’s legal representatives were unsuccessful.
The judgment is expected to raise further questions about the accountability of public officeholders post-tenure and may serve as a benchmark for future litigation against abuse of power in Nigeria’s governance structure.
Leave a Comment