Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court has delivered a stinging rebuke to the Nigeria Police Force, ordering it to pay N12 million in damages to a female journalist who was abducted, physically assaulted, and illegally detained for eight hours while carrying out her professional duties in Abuja. Justice Bello Kawu, in a landmark judgment delivered on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, declared that the police actions violated the journalist's fundamental rights to dignity and personal liberty as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution. The ruling has been hailed as a significant victory for press freedom and a clear warning that no security agency is above the law.
The journalist, Kasarahchi Aniagolu, a reporter with the online newspaper The Whistler, was arrested on February 21, 2024, in the Wuse Zone 4 area of Abuja, where police operatives were conducting a covert operation targeting illegal bureau de change operators. According to court documents, despite identifying herself as a journalist and explaining her presence at the scene, she was forcibly abducted by the officers, physically assaulted, and taken to the Guzape District Police Station, where she was held for approximately eight hours. During her illegal detention, police officers allegedly seized her mobile phone and deleted photographs stored on it, further violating her right to privacy. She was subjected to degrading and inhuman treatment while in custody, an ordeal that left her traumatised and prompted her to seek legal redress.
Aniagolu subsequently instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit on October 25, 2024, against the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force, seeking N100 million in damages for the violation of her constitutional rights. The suit, filed on her behalf by Adekunle Kosoko of Seasons Law Firm in Abuja, argued that the actions of the police constituted a gross infringement of her constitutionally guaranteed rights. In her statement of claim, she detailed the harrowing experience of being abducted and assaulted while simply doing her job, and the court found her testimony compelling.
Delivering judgment, Justice Bello Kawu held that the police had violated Section 34(1)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution by subjecting the journalist to inhuman and degrading treatment. The court declared unequivocally that the respondents subjected the applicant to inhuman and degrading treatment in contravention of Section 34(1)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution. Justice Kawu further ruled that the police also violated Aniagolu's constitutional right to personal liberty under Section 35(1) of the Constitution through her unlawful arrest and detention. The judge stated that the abduction of the applicant by officers of the respondents and the subsequent detention of the applicant at the respondent's station in Guzape District of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja infringed on the applicant's right to personal liberty, in contravention of Section 35(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
The court subsequently awarded Aniagolu N10 million as general damages for the infringement of her fundamental rights, and an additional N2 million to cover the cost of litigation, bringing the total compensation to N12 million. Justice Kawu ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay the full sum, a judgment that The Whistler newspaper described as a victory for press freedom and the rule of law. In a statement, the newspaper commended the court for its ruling and expressed hope that the judgment would serve as a deterrent to security agencies that habitually violate the rights of journalists and citizens.
The ruling has been widely hailed by press freedom advocates and civil society organisations as a landmark decision that reinforces constitutional protections against the abuse of power by law enforcement agencies. It comes amid growing concerns over the harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary arrest of journalists in Nigeria, particularly under the tenure of the current Inspector-General of Police. The judgment sends a clear message that the courts will not tolerate unlawful arrests, arbitrary detention, and violations of fundamental human rights by security operatives, and that those who abuse their authority will be held accountable.
Aniagolu's ordeal began on a routine day in February 2024, when she was covering a police operation in Wuse Zone 4. Instead of being protected as a journalist, she became a target of the very officers tasked with upholding the law. The eight hours she spent in detention were marked by physical assault, humiliation, and the violation of her privacy. Her phone was seized, and photographs were deleted—an act that the court found to be a flagrant breach of her right to privacy. The experience left her not only physically bruised but also emotionally scarred, and her decision to seek legal redress was a courageous stand against impunity.
The judgment by Justice Bello Kawu is a testament to the independence and integrity of the Nigerian judiciary. By holding the police accountable for their actions, the court has reaffirmed that no individual or institution is above the law, and that the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution must be respected by all, including security agencies. The ruling also serves as a stark warning to law enforcement officers that they cannot act with impunity, and that citizens who have been wronged can seek justice through the courts.
As of the time of this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official response to the judgment. However, the ruling has already sparked widespread debate about police brutality and the need for systemic reforms within the force. For journalists like Kasarahchi Aniagolu, the judgment is a vindication of her rights and a beacon of hope that the rule of law can still prevail in Nigeria. The N12 million damages awarded by the court may not erase the trauma she endured, but it sends a powerful message: the police are not above the law, and those who violate the rights of citizens will be made to pay.
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