Police fined N15m for detaining seven Boko Haram suspects without trial

The Nigerian Police Force has been ordered to pay N15m fine to seven suspected members of Boko Haram who were unlawfully detained for three years without trial.

The applicants, Ajiri Dungus, Gudja Giddah, Adam Mohammed, Wardi Dungus, Fanami Mustapha, Mohammed Abba and Makinka Dungus, were reportedly arrested inside a Maiduguri market were allegedly “dumped” at the detention facility of the Special Anti-Robbery in Abuja.

Justice M. O. Olajuwon of the federal high court in Abuja who delivered the judgement, held that the fundamental human rights of the applicants were violated, contravening provisions of the 1999 constitution on human rights.

Justice Olajuwon who also ordered that the seven applicants be released to their families, stated that the police acted in bad faith by keeping the detainees beyond the period required by law, especially when there was no cogent and verifiable ground of indictment of the applicants for any offence.