Court Orders Police to Pay Lawyer N310M
Court Orders Police to Pay Lawyer N310M
By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa
A Delta State High Court has ordered the Nigeria Police to pay N310 million to lawyer Otedjere Jude for his unlawful arrest and two-day detention in September 2025.
Justice E. O. Odebala awarded N300 million for fundamental rights violations and N10 million for legal costs, ruling the police action had no legal justification.
The suit had high-ranking officials, including the Inspector-General of Police as defendants after Mr. Jude was harassed and held without cause in Kwale.
The court declared the detention a gross violation of liberty, noting that the police failed to provide any evidence or counter-affidavits to defend their actions.
Justice Odebala dismissed last-minute police attempts to block the ruling, describing their tactics as “lawlessness” and adding N5 million in extra penalties.
The judge affirmed the ruling by stating, “It is hereby declared that the arrest and detention of the applicant without any justification amounts to an infraction of the liberty and freedom of movement of the applicant and the same is wrongful, unconstitutional, ultra vires and of no moment whatsoever.”
The NBA celebrated the verdict as a triumph for the rule of law, vowing to monitor the case until the compensation is fully paid.
