ECOWAS Court Orders Nigerian Government To Pay N30 Million To Glory Okolie Over Illegal Detention
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, sitting in Abuja, has awarded N30 million in reparations to Glory Okolie, a woman unlawfully detained by the Nigerian Police Force’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for nine months.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, the court ruled that Okolie’s prolonged detention violated her fundamental human rights as enshrined in Nigerian law, ECOWAS treaties, and international legal frameworks.
According to Samuel Ihensekhien, the human rights lawyer representing Okolie, the Nigerian government acknowledged in its court filings that Okolie was detained for over 90 days, breaching constitutional and legal statutes.
The case highlighted the ordeal of Okolie, who was arrested by IRT officers on June 17, 2021, and allegedly held as a maid for several weeks before spending a total of 248 days in detention. She was released on March 23, 2022.
In an earlier 2022 ruling, the ECOWAS Court had imposed a N1 million fine on the Nigerian government for delaying proceedings, citing the government’s “nonchalant and disdainful attitude” in filing court processes.
Following her release, Ihensekhien, alongside the One Love Foundation, a non-governmental organization advocating for justice and governance, filed a suit at the ECOWAS Court demanding N100 billion in damages for the infringement of Okolie’s fundamental rights.
The judgment serves as a significant milestone in the fight against human rights violations, with the court emphasizing the need for accountability and compliance with the rule of law.
