The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to pay N12 million in damages to The Whistler journalist, Kasarahchi Aniagolu, after ruling that her arrest, detention, and alleged mistreatment by police officers were unlawful.
Justice Bello Kawu, in a judgment delivered on July 29, held that the actions of the police violated Aniagolu’s fundamental human rights, including her right to dignity and personal liberty as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The court awarded N10 million as compensation for the violation of her constitutional rights and an additional N2 million as the cost of litigation, bringing the total award to N12 million.
According to court documents, Aniagolu was arrested on February 21, 2024, while covering a police raid on suspected illegal foreign exchange traders in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Despite identifying herself as a journalist, she was allegedly arrested, assaulted, and detained for nearly eight hours at the Guzape Police Station.
She later filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, seeking N100 million in damages.
Aniagolu also accused the police of confiscating her mobile phone, deleting photographs stored on the device without her consent, and subjecting her to ill-treatment while in custody.
In its ruling, the court declared that the conduct of the police officers amounted to a breach of her constitutional rights and ordered the payment of the awarded compensation.
