The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos Tuesday ordered the Lagos State Government and the Police to pay N5million to Adedotun Clement, the Uber driver allegedly assaulted on October 20, 2021, during the #EndSARS protest anniversary at the Lekki Toll-Gate. It was related in the court that Clement was allegedly beaten, pepper-sprayed and dragged on the ground by the police and officials of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency, who mistook him for a protester.
It was believed that he was carrying a passenger from the Island to the Mainland part of the state when he encountered the protest at the Lekki Toll Gate which was disrupted by the Police and Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency officials. However, his arrest was well publicized on social media arousing several public outcry against the injury he suffered from the arrest.
Hence, Lagos-based human rights lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, took up the case and sued the state, its Agency, its Attorney-General and the Police. While delivering judgment in the fundamental rights case with Suit Number: FHC/CS/1862/2021, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa held that the treatment meted on the applicant amounted to a violation of his right to dignity.
The judge awarded Clement N5 million as damages
