The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has awarded N10 million in general damages against the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the unlawful arrest, detention, assault and seizure of property belonging to journalist Jide Oyekunle during the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protests in Abuja.
The landmark judgment, delivered on June 22, 2026, followed a suit filed by Oyekunle with legal support from Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) under its European Union-supported eRIGHTS project.
Oyekunle, a reporter with Independent Newspaper and former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Correspondents’ Chapel, was assaulted, detained and had his phone seized by armed police officers on August 1, 2024, while covering the nationwide protests at Eagle Square, Abuja. His camera was also reportedly damaged during the incident.
In its ruling in Suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/29/25, the regional court held that the actions of Nigerian security operatives violated Oyekunle’s fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, personal liberty, human dignity and property as protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The court agreed with counsel to the applicant, Collins I. Maidoh-Anene, that the journalist’s detention and the confiscation of his mobile phone were excessive, unjustified and contrary to international human rights standards.
According to the judgment, the seizure of Oyekunle’s phone disrupted his live coverage of the protest, thereby infringing on his right to freedom of expression. The court also found that the assault and detention amounted to violations of his rights to liberty and dignity, while the confiscation of his device breached his right to property.
The court further ruled that the Nigerian government failed to justify the actions of its security personnel under the principles of necessity and proportionality required by international law, describing the conduct as excessive and unlawful.
Reacting to the judgment, ASF France Country Director, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, described the decision as a major victory for press freedom and digital rights.
“The judgment sends a clear message that a journalist’s digital tools are extensions of the modern newsroom, and their arbitrary confiscation by security forces constitutes a direct assault on the public’s right to know,” she said.
She added that the ruling strengthens legal protections for journalists and human rights defenders documenting protests and matters of public interest across West Africa.
“ASF France will continue to monitor compliance with the judgment and provide legal support to journalists facing similar violations,” she stated.
Oyekunle welcomed the ruling, describing it as a significant affirmation of the rights of journalists to carry out their duties without intimidation or harassment.
“This decision is not only about me; it is about every journalist, media worker and Nigerian citizen who believes in freedom of expression, access to information and peaceful civic participation,” he said.
He added that the judgment sends a strong signal that security agencies and public institutions must be held accountable for violations of fundamental rights.
“Democracy cannot thrive where journalists are attacked for documenting events or where citizens are punished for exercising their lawful rights,” Oyekunle said.
The journalist expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, ASF France, colleagues, rights advocates and other supporters who stood by him throughout the legal process.
The ruling is expected to reinforce regional jurisprudence on press freedom, digital rights and the protection of journalists covering protests and other matters of public interest across the ECOWAS region.
